Runaway
by karjens44
Summary: Nina gives up hope of Rachel forgiving her and leaves the group. This time, she takes a desperate step to help her remove the one thing that drove her to hurt the most important person in her life, but ends up putting her life in danger and there is only one person that can save her. Cross posted on Archive of Our Own
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Alphas is not mine, nor are the characters. I am borrowing these characters for entertainment purposes only.

This is set in season 2 after 'the kiss.' I think it was a big mistake that the writers did so little to follow that up because by ignoring it, they pretty much made the kiss a superfluous attempt to grab ratings and there was so much potential. So I wrote this. I hope people like it.

"You kissed Nina."

Rachel's eyes flew up in shock to meet Gary non-judgmental but extremely curious gaze. "What?"

"You kissed her. I heard Bill talking to Hicks. Though, I thought Nina was kissing Hicks before," he frowned trying to make sense of everything he'd learned recently, "but he was her boyfriend. You're a girl so you can't be her boyfriend."

Rachel sighed. Gary was a tenacious young man but she knew he couldn't help it. "Gary I really don't want to talk about it."

"Bill said she made you kiss her. That you didn't want to. Did you?

Rachel closed her eyes., accepting her young friend was not going to let this go. "No I didn't but…"

"She made you do something against your will. That's illegal so I'll go arrest her now."

"No Gary, you can't do that."

"Yeah, I can," Gary said animatedly. "She ...she used her powers to do bad things and hurt people and she needs to be arrested. I can do it. I'm a Federal Agent, so she'll have to go with me," Gary said confidently.

"Gary please, leave it alone," Rachel said desperately. She was finally starting to come to terms with what happened that night and was nearly ready to reach out to her friend again. When she'd had her hallucination of Nina lying dead at the bottom of the pool, she was forced to accept that Nina meant far more to her than she'd ever realized and that was part of the reason why she'd made the offer to have a drink with her. She truly missed her but she also needed to know if Nina had ever truly respected her.

"No Rachel. Nina can make anybody do whatever she wants. Well, she can't do that to me because I'm amazing but anyone else she can. That's bad. She's bad."

Rachel had no idea what to say. She knew in her heart that Nina Theroux wasn't bad. She wasn't the shallow, self indulgent bitch she'd been acting like when she had left the team or even when she'd pushed her, but until she could actually talk to Nina and find out what she had been thinking or feeling, she couldn't defend her either.

"I know Gary," she said, fully aware of what made the older woman such a dangerous threat, still she'd also seen how gentle Nina could be, especially with Gary and it broke her heart to hear her called bad. "She is dangerous, but…"

"Oh, hey Nina," Gary greeted calmly. "I was just saying that you assaulted Rachel and that makes you a criminal so I have to arrest you now."

Nina looked from Gary to a guilty Rachel, hoping Rachel wasn't able to pick up how much their words had hurt her. She'd arrived outside the break room just in time to hear Gary call her bad and Rachel agree and it was if the last tiny flicker of hope died inside of her.

After they'd stopped Jason Miller and his possessed mob, Rachel had come to her with an offer of drinks and Nina had hoped it meant that Rachel was willing to let her start to fix what she'd broken. Unfortunately, she'd had to decline and Rachel had never brought up rescheduling. Still, Rachel had been talking to her more and more and Nina kept hoping.

Now she finally accepted that Rachel had never stopped hating her and any interest she had in redeeming herself was gone.

"Fine. Go ahead and do what you have to, Gary," she said numbly. She had thought that…no, it didn't matter. If the one person who's opinion mattered more than anyone else's couldn't forgive her, it didn't matter. Nothing did.

"You have the…the right to um…to be quiet," Gary recited distractedly as he patted his pockets for his handcuffs. "You have the right…. where are my handcuffs? Who took my handcuffs?"

"Gary stop," Rachel said, her horrified eyes watching Nina's expressionless face. She could only imagine what Nina was thinking when she'd heard them talking and it shook Rachel to know she'd hurt her.

"No. No Rachel, people aren't supposed to touch my stuff," he muttered in irritation.

"They're probably in your desk," Rachel said patiently, "but you're not going to arrest Nina."

"I have to, it's my job and people shouldn't touch my stuff," he muttered irritably.

"Gary, I don't want her arrested," Rachel said her eyes firmly locked on Nina's, willing her to say something…anything, but she stayed silent.

"But she assaulted you," Gary muttered moving around to approach the taller woman.

"No, she didn't assault me. She made a mistake."

"Yeah but..."

"Gary please. Nina is your friend, right?" Rachel pulled her worried gaze from Nina's,

"Sure, but that doesn't matter. Criminals have to go to jail."

"Not Nina," she interrupted shortly and then realized how what she said would be perceived. "I mean she's not a criminal. Just…leave it alone. Please."

Gary scratched the back of his neck. This wasn't how it was supposed to work. Someone does something bad they go to jail but Rachel said it wasn't bad but if the victim didn't press charges he couldn't arrest her. He shrugged.

"I'm going to my office," he said abruptly and left the breakroom.

"Nina," Rachel said softly and stepped toward the woman who had yet to say anything.

"I suppose I should thank you for your generosity," Nina finally spoke, her voice devoid of any emotion.

"Oh come on Nina," Rachel urged. "It's Gary. He didn't mean anything."

"No, Gary always means everything he says. That's one of the things I love most about him. He always says exactly what he's thinking."

Rachel looked away, knowing that was aimed at her. "How long were you there?" she finally asked in resignation.

"Long enough," Nina stated before leaving the breakroom and heading back to her office.

"Nina wait."

Nina stopped in her tracks and turned around almost angrily. "Wait for what Rachel? It was pretty clear you share Gary's opinions, so what else is there to say?"

"Gary doesn't understand. You don't understand," Rachel argued.

"Right. Gary only thinks I'm a criminal but you know I'm really a monster, right?"

Rachel's stomach clenched violently. "Oh my god, Nina. No. I don't think that."

"Sure. I'm just dangerous. Hell, maybe you and Senator Burton can compare notes," she stated and then offered a pained smirk. "On the plus side, at least when I assaulted you, I didn't nearly kill you. That's something, right?"

Rachel gasped at the revelation. She had no idea Nina had been so tormented by what had happened to the Senator and she should have. Nina had been willing to risk exposure to provide the medical records Burton's doctors needed to save her because of what she'd done at Rosen's request. The fact that she had let herself be talked into pushing that hard was enough to show how hard Nina had been trying and then to walk in and hear herself being called 'bad' and 'dangerous'…

Rachel left her thoughts when she saw Nina walking away again and suddenly she was angry.

"No, you don't get to walk away Nina," she called following the taller woman into her office and closing the door.

"What do you want from me Rachel?" Nina said desperately.

Rachel's heart hurt seeing the slight flush on Nina's pale cheeks and the dampness in her sad eyes but she wasn't going to let this go. Not anymore.

"I want you to finally face up to what you did. Not just to me but to…"

"Jesus Christ Rachel, what the hell do you think I've been doing?" Nina shouted, lowering her voice at the slight flinch from the sensitive woman.

"I've done everything Rosen and everyone else wanted me to even at the risk of Burton's life but when I tried to fix that I get my ass chewed. When I try to talk to you, I'm shut out. I'm sick of being a tool that's only worth acknowledging when I'm useful. I'm sick of being reminded what a threat I am until somebody wants something. I'm sick of all of this. Yes, I made some horrible mistakes. Mistakes I'll live with for the rest of my life, but I've owned up to them and I've apologized. Well I tried, but it seems like none of the alpha's here were given the ability of forgiveness. You will never forgive me and you'll never let me forget. So, what's the point in even trying?"

Rachel didn't like the way the usually formidable woman seemed to be giving up. "Nina come on, that's such a cop out," she argued.

Nina felt her abilities kicking in and the words ordering Rachel to leave and forget the conversation were on her tongue and she knew Rachel could sense it. The flash of fear in the dark eyes caused her to stop. She wouldn't push Rachel ever again. She wouldn't push anyone unless it was HER choice ever again.

She turned her eyes to her computer, pretending that whatever was on it was the most interesting thing in the world. "Maybe it is," she agreed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm getting a headache and still have work to do."

Rachel felt sick. Something was terribly wrong but Nina had shut down. She'd put her walls firmly back up because of her and she didn't know how to fix it. She opened her mouth to say something but Nina's blatantly false attempts to ignore her told Rachel the conversation was closed.

She sighed and left the office, wondering if she should talk to Dr. Rosen, but deciding that she couldn't put Nina in that position, especially since her current mood was her fault.

"Where the hell was Nina," Bill complained, entering the lobby to their offices, and holding a handkerchief to his bloody forehead. "We needed her today."

"You shouldn't cuss Bill, it's unprofessional," Gary commented as they walked through the unwelcome agents that had taken up residence in his home.

"Yeah, well so is failing to be there to back up your team," Hicks grumbled, holding his bruised side.

"We don't know what happened," Rachel said, worry for the other woman flooding her mind.

"I do," Hicks said as they entered the lounge and closed the door. "She's been out of contact for a week and she failed to show again today when we needed her. It's pretty damned obvious she ran off again. It's what she does."

Rachel stiffened. "That's uncalled for," she said angrily.

Cameron either ignored or didn't hear the barely repressed anger in her voice. "I know her Rachel. She gets bored or stressed and she runs. She did it before." He hissed in pain as he shifted on the sofa.

"Sleeping with her doesn't mean you know her," Rachel snapped, ignoring the unwelcome flash of jealousy that went through her. "You've been on this team what…a few months? I…we've known her for over a year. This isn't like her. I'm sure she had her reasons for not being there." She wished she felt as confident as she sounded but she was painfully aware she'd hurt Nina badly and whatever happened was on her.

"Rachel…" Bill was as shocked as the rest of them by Rachel's outburst.

"She's right," Lee interrupted stepping into the lounge. "Nina is on a private assignment for me."

"Burton?" Kat asked, placing a bandage on Bill's forehead.

"No. She won't be doing that again," Lee said, fighting the shame of what his desperation had caused for both his friend and the unwitting Senator.

"Then what?" Bill demanded. "We have the right to know."

"Not on this you don't Bill," Lee replied firmly. "It's a private matter and I hope you will respect that."

Bill didn't like it. He didn't like working in the dark but he'd come to trust the older man despite some questionable decisions, so he'd give him some leeway. For now. "Fine," he conceded grudgingly.

"No, it's not fine," Hicks shouted. "We need to find her and make sure she's not off mind-raping someone else."

Rachel's hand was across his face before anyone could stop her. "Never say that again."

"Rachel, you hit Hicks. Why did you do that?" Gary asked growing agitated. "We're teammates. You aren't supposed to hit teammates." He hated fighting.

Rachel ignored him and stared at her hand as if it had taken on a life of its own.

"Rachel, what's the matter with you?" Bill asked stepping between the small woman who rarely raised her voice much less struck someone.

"Maybe Nina put the whammy on you again," Kat suggested with the bluntness that was still difficult to get used to.

"She didn't," Rachel protested fervently. "Maybe she's gone because she got tired of all of us judging her for using the same abilities we depend on."

"She deserves it," Bill retorted.

"Oh really? Because none of us have ever used our abilities to hurt someone else, right?"

"Not like that," Hicks said. "How can you defend her Rachel? She hurt you worst of all."

"That's right, she did," she said but unsure of how to finish that sentence.

"Ok everyone that's enough!" Lee said firmly. "This was my decision and one that needed to be made. I am counting on all of you to keep this within the team."

"You mean not tell Agent Cley? That's lying," Gary stated plainly.

"Not exactly Gary," Lee said calmly. "Just please everyone. Keep this quiet. This assignment…it's a private matter and not one that effects National Security."

The team reluctantly nodded but Rachel had sensed the lie. Doctor Rosen's pulse sped up and his temperature increased and that made her even more anxious. Had Nina gone rogue again? Or worse, had something bad happened to her?

"Thank you," Lee was saying. "Rachel, I'd like to talk to you in my office about what you were able to pick up in Levy's apartment."

Another lie. "Alright," she said and followed the older man out of the lounge.

"Why was Dr. Rosen lying?" Gary asked.

"What makes you think he was lying?" Bill asked sitting straighter.

"I've been practicing. I can tell," Gary shrugged. "He shouldn't lie to us. We're a team."

"Yeah," Cameron agreed. "Though it's not really the first time, is it? But why is he covering for Nina?"

"Maybe they're, you know doing a little horizontal mambo," Kat threw out casually.

"Why would they be dancing Kat? That's just stupid," Gary replied distractedly as he searched the electromagnetic waves that only he could see, for something interesting.

"Forget it Gary," Cameron snorted, not about to get into the birds and bees with the younger man.

"It is stupid. We're Federal Agents. We don't dance. Oh hey, I could hack into Dr. Rosen's office and see what he's talking to Rachel about."

Bill weighed his thoughts for a long moment and made a decision he hoped he wouldn't regret. "No thanks Gary. I think that for now we need to take him at his word. If Nina has gone bad again, I trust him to tell us."

"What is it?" Rachel asked as soon as the door closed behind her. "Is Nina okay?"

Lee smiled. "I should have known you'd realize I wasn't being entirely truthful. She's alright. Well, she's not injured or in imminent danger at any rate."

"Please Dr. Rosen, what's going on?"

Lee took a seat behind his desk and gestured for Rachel to do the same.

"She's gone Rachel," he said bluntly.

Rachel's heart jumped into her throat. "Gone?" she choked out. "Where?"

"She came to me last week and told me she was leaving the group."

"No. No, that's not right. Bring her back," Rachel ordered urgently, fear and guilt threatening to make her sick.

At any other time, Lee would have praised Rachel for her sudden assertiveness but he could hear the desperation in her voice.

"I can't Rachel and I don't think I would even if I could."

"But…. why? She needs us," Rachel felt the tears falling down her cheek and she didn't care. This was her fault.

Lee sighed heavily and ran a hand tiredly over his face. "You're right. She does. She needed us before but we weren't there for her so she ran off to try and find some peace the only way she knew how. Then she comes back and everyone, including me, treated her like an enemy until she became useful."

"Oh God," Rachel breathed. Rosen was right.

"Then I go and ask her to push Burton harder than she'd ever pushed anyone. She didn't want to do it but she felt…guilty for what she'd done and that she had no right to say no. It took a toll on her," Lee said sadly. "Not just mentally but physically as well."

"Wait…how?" Rachel asked with growing concern.

"She started having headaches but I couldn't allow her to let up. Not until Burton did what we wanted with those Photo stimulators."

Rachel frowned. It had taken days before she could even look at Nina after what had happened, but when she had, she'd seen something was off. Nina had been pale and drawn but Rachel had assumed it was just her guilty conscious.

"Well now we definitely have to get her back. She needs treatment and someone who will care for her and make sure she rests," Rachel insisted, her mind already refocusing to see if she could pick up anything thing from Nina.

"No. Stop Rachel," Lee said interrupting her before she could lose herself. "Nina needs to be alone. She swore on…well she convinced me that she wouldn't push anyone unless absolutely necessary but she needs this and as much as we can use her abilities, I've forced her enough. She finally deserves to try and find some happiness and that's why we're not telling anyone about this. Not even Cameron."

"But…" _she has me,_ Rachel thought and her stomach tightened. No, she didn't. Rachel had seen to that.

"She asked me to give this to you," Lee said breaking into Rachel's thoughts.

Rachel saw the envelope Dr. Rosen was holding out but made no move to take it. She could see the words even inside the envelope but she didn't want to know what it said.

"She is more sorry than you'll ever know for what she did Rachel. I just hope that one day you'll give her the chance to tell you in person."

Rachel could feel the tears of guilt and regret stinging her eyes as she took the letter. "I know," she whispered and then fled the office needing to be alone and she could only think of one place she wanted…needed to be.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

 _Dear Rachel:_

 _I debated so long about what I wanted to say to you or whether to even write this. I wasn't sure that you would be interested. I'm still not sure that you will be, but I knew I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to you. Even if you don't read this._

 _There are so many things I wish I had the courage to tell you in person, but as you've figured out, I'm a coward. Besides, one look into those big beautiful eyes of yours would have had me staying no matter how painful it was for me, and whenever I looked at you I would have been reminded of why I should leave. Any time I would see that tiny hint of fear in your eyes that you most likely don't even know is there, it would…well it doesn't matter now does it? It' probably just easier to admit to being a coward._

 _I am so very sorry for what I did to you Rachel. I won't try to explain what happened because nothing I could say will ever make up for it. I betrayed your trust in the worst possible way. I forced you to do something that I know you couldn't have possibly wanted and took the one thing I knew hurt you the most and used it against you. Even if you don't hate me, you have no idea how much I hate myself for it._

 _It may surprise you to know that I've wanted to kiss you for what seems like forever but I never wanted it to be like that. I wanted it to be a gift you gave me willingly and I ruined it. I ruined it because I knew that taking it was the only way I would ever have you that close to me and I could pretend for just a few minutes that you cared about me as much as I do you. I know how selfish that makes me, but selfishness has always been my thing, hasn't it?_

 _You and Gary were right. I am dangerous. Not because of my ability but because I have this almost perverse talent of destroying anyone who cares about me and the thought that one day I could accidently lose control and push you into doing something that winds up hurting you more than I already have or worse is unbearable. I couldn't live with myself if that happened Rachel and Hicks wouldn't be around to stop me this time._

 _Again, I am so very sorry for everything, but I couldn't leave without letting you know just how much you will always mean to me. How much having you in my life has changed me. You've taught me how to care about someone other than myself. I imagine you find that hard to believe and I can't really blame you, but it's the truth._

 _And with that I guess it's time to say goodbye. I'm going to try once again to find at least a little happiness for myself even though it's debatable whether I deserve it. You have my word that I won't push anyone this time unless it's to save someone else. I'm just so tired Rachel. I need to find people who don't condemn me for what I am until I'm useful. I need to find someplace where I'm not constantly wondering each day if that's the day Rosen decides I'm too much of a risk to be free. I need to find someone who can love me._

 _Lastly, I know I don't have the right to say this to you, but please don't let fear stand in the way of your own happiness, because if anyone on this earth deserves to be happy it's you. And never…NEVER be ashamed of who you are. You are beautiful, inside and out and have so much love to give. Anyone would be ridiculously lucky to have you love them in any way you're comfortable with. And you need to let yourself be loved Rachel. Let yourself be happy. That's all I've ever wanted for you, even if I won't be the person to give that to you._

 _I'll miss you Rachel more than you will ever know._

 _Love,_

 _Nina._

 _P.S. I know that with your heightened senses, your old room at your parents house must be making you crazy. I haven't changed the locks on the loft and I know you have a key, so I'm giving the place to you if you want. I saw an attorney and had everything placed in your name. The modifications are still in place in your room from before and I also added the sound proofing and black out drapes in the master bedroom as well, since it will now be yours if you'd like. If you don't want it, feel free to sell it and buy a place that you can call home._

"Oh Nina," Rachel whispered brokenly.

The tears had started to fall two sentences into the letter and with the final words, Rachel was crying freely. How could she have let herself forget everything Nina had done for her? All the subtle ways she protected and cared for Rachel when she was too afraid to stand up for herself. All the ways she had shown she cared about her. Without hesitation, she had opened her home to Rachel going so far as to make several renovations to accommodate her needs. How could Rachel had let one desperate act erase all of that?

From the beginning, despite the often arrogant and indifferent façade she wore, Nina had always been there for everyone on the team. The way she helped focus Dr. Rosen, the way she managed to ease Bill's frustrations and anger, the way she cared for Gary and even Hicks, though Rachel tried not to think about that relationship, and especially the way she cared for her told Rachel what an amazingly sensitive and caring woman Nina truly was.

It broke Rachel's heart to realize just how badly they…how badly _she_ had taken the woman for granted. Rachel had put Nina on a pedestal and at the very first tremble, she'd turned her back on the surprisingly vulnerable woman.

She had no idea how much pain Nina had been carrying all alone. How could she, of all people, have missed it? How self absorbed had she been that she couldn't see how close to breaking the usually composed influencer really was?

And most importantly, how had she missed seeing the way Nina had felt about her? Well, that was easy to explain. Rachel would have never in her wildest dreams have expected such a sophisticated, beautiful and strong woman like Nina Theroux to ever see meek little Rachel Pirzad as anything more than a friend.

She let her mind go back to the kiss. If she forgot how she'd felt when Tommy had so casually brought up her biggest shame and how she'd believed Nina had been making fun of her, she could think logically about the events that occurred and her inexplicably strong reactions. Rachel knew enough about her own abilities to know they couldn't make her enjoy a kiss if it was truly horrible. She'd kissed a few men who'd had no effect on her at all, but Nina's kisses were far more thrilling than any she'd ever experienced. And, she could try and convince herself that anything she felt was because Nina had pushed her, but really all Nina had done was tell Rachel she wanted to kiss her. She didn't say she had to enjoy it, but oh how Rachel had enjoyed it. Even after all this time and even no longer being under the influence, her lips still felt the warmth and softness of Nina's and she craved another taste. That was a big part of the reason she'd been avoiding the other woman. She had been desperately afraid Nina would know and pity her and Rachel could handle anything but Nina's pity.

Now she knew how wrong she'd been. Nina had kissed her because she was lost and she needed Rachel and it was the only way she knew how to handle it. And Rachel had failed her. Her tears fell harder as she lost herself to painful realizations of how alone Nina must be now and the almost overpowering reminders of the missing woman that permeated her home.

She sniffed and dried her tears as she made a decision. She was going to find Nina Theroux and bring her home and then they would finally have a very long overdue discussion.

She started with her hearing. Even knowing it was completely unlikely, Rachel focused all her senses until she was able to only listen for the sound of a second heartbeat, wishing that Nina had been hiding upstairs all along. She wasn't surprised, but still heartbroken when she didn't hear one.

Growing more determined, she switched her attention to smell. The first thing that hit her was the subtle scent of Nina's perfume. The same perfume that had led to Rachel finding her in a club full of hundreds of people. The same scent that triggered the more pleasant memories of what it had been like to kiss the extremely seductive Nina Theroux. She'd seen the beautiful women dancing for and flirting with Nina and had been slightly shocked that Nina didn't seem the least bothered by the attention. And now she could also admit to feeling a flash of jealousy when Nina appeared to flirt back with them. How could someone like her hold the interest of someone as vibrant and sensual as Nina?

Rachel sighed and shook her head to clear it of the inappropriate thoughts and ventured upstairs. She stopped by her old room, sad to see it remained just as Rachel had left it when she'd abruptly moved out. She moved on to Nina's room. She hesitated before walking inside. She'd never been in the master bedroom before and hadn't even contemplated what it would look like, but she was still surprised by the simplistic yet elegant décor and muted colors. Rachel thought it actually suited Nina perfectly.

She took a deep breath and suppressed the feeling of guilt as she entered the cavernous room. Surely there would be something, some small hint that Rachel could use to find her. She adjusted her senses so that he r vision was in full control and she slowly walked around looking at everything.

She was surprised and somewhat heartened to see how much Nina had left behind. Maybe there was a chance she hadn't left for good after all. She opened the dresser drawers, relieved to see clothes still present and blushing furiously at the luxurious and quite skimpy lingerie resting on top. She tried very hard not to picture what Nina would look like wearing it.

She quickly closed the drawer without the need to dig further into it. She'd been able to see there was nothing there. She walked around the large bed, her hand trailing over the soft comforter, her eyes scanning the room for anything that would give her a clue.

Sure enough Rachel could see the obviously expensive blackout curtains and the signs of sound proofing installed in the walls. Tears stung her eyes again seeing the final act of kindness Nina had performed especially for her. Even after what she'd overheard, Nina was still caring for her and the pain went straight to her heart.

Unable to contain her emotions any longer, she curled up on Nina's bed, letting the subtle scent wash over her as she cried into the pillow.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

Rachel jerked upright, blinking in confusion as she tried to gain her bearings and remember where she was. Her heart broke all over again as she realized she'd fallen asleep in Nina's bed, wondering how she was going to find the runaway and bring her home.

The vibration in her pocket alerted her to what had woken her up. She rose from the incredibly comfortable bed and reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Her parents never texted so she assumed it was Dr. Rosen with a case. She was wrong.

 _She needs you. We know you are at her house. If you care about her at all, be waiting at the front door in ten minutes. Leave your phone and anything that can be traced behind._

Before Rachel could even reply the message seemed to re-scramble itself into some sort of bizarre code. Instinctively Rachel deleted the now unreadable message, knowing who had sent it and her stomach knotted painfully realizing something had happened to Nina. She checked the clock and saw it was late but she had a call to make.

"Dr. Rosen?"

"Rachel?" came the sleepy voice.

"Yes. I'm sorry to bother you so late but… look I need to take a few days off. Between things at home and what happened with Nina, I just can't handle any more," she explained, not entirely lying.

"Rachel, I know you've been through a lot, but we need you."

Rachel looked at the clock. 10:05. She only had five minutes left and didn't have time for politeness. "I'm sorry Dr. Rosen but I'm taking the few days. If that's a problem then I'll have to resign."

Lee's eyebrows rose, pleased by the way she stood up for herself, but worried about what had brought it about. "No Rachel, I don't want you to resign. Take as much time as you need, but I'm hoping we can talk about this when you get back."

"Of course. Thank you. Oh and if I could ask a favor…" she paused hoping she wasn't about to make the old man suspicious. "If you could let my parents know I had to go out of town on business suddenly or something?"

"Why don't you tell them yourself?" Lee asked, wondering what was really going on.

"Because they're part of the stress I've been dealing with lately," she answered truthfully. "I just can't take anymore lectures or matchmaking right now Dr. Rosen."

Lee could hear the tension in his young colleagues voice and while he suspected she wasn't telling him everything, he knew how shaken she'd been by Nina's betrayal and now her departure, not to mention the constant pressure put on her by her parents and the heightening of her senses. He was fairly certain she was going to look for Nina and he couldn't deny that feeling she'd done something to find her would be cathartic for the young woman so he decided give her a little room to breathe. For now.

"Alright Rachel I'll take care of it," he agreed. "Just…be careful. I…we are all here for you if you need us."

"Thank you Dr. Rosen." She saw she had very little time left so she ended the call and turned off her phone. She left it on the dresser and ran downstairs and out the front door, locking it behind her, just in time to see a black pick up truck slow to a stop in front of her.

She sighed, hoping she wasn't about to become a statistic and rushed to the truck as the passenger side window lowered.

"Hurry Miss Pirzad, there isn't much time," the young woman said with a gentle tone that eased Rachel's nerves and she quickly entered the truck which began moving before she could finish fastening her seatbelt.

"I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?" Rachel asked.

"You can call me Kendra,"

"What's wrong with Nina?" she blurted.

"We don't know," Kendra said. "Skylar brought her to us a several days ago. Physically she was fine though she was clearly suffering from major depression."

"Oh, of course she was," Rachel said sadly.

"Three days ago she started having these headaches that grew increasingly more severe and the next night she…collapsed with the pain. Skylar managed to sedate her but she's restless and keeps calling for you. Each time it hits, the pain seems to grow worse. Skylar has been trying to figure out some sort of device that will alleviate the pain but she was hoping you would come and help care for her while she works. You could keep her calm and that might help the headaches. If not then…"

"Oh God," Rachel breathed. Rosen had said the pushes she'd done since her return had affected her but to know she was suffering so badly was unbearable.

"We've got a couple of doctors living with us that have been doing what they can but we aren't sure if it's ability related or something physical and we don't have the equipment to do a scan and..." Kendra paused for a long second. "Can you do that?" she asked suddenly and Rachel didn't need her senses heightened to detect the hint of hope and excitement in her voice.

"Do…you mean scan Nina?" Somehow the thought of her entering Nina's mind seemed a rather sick sort of turnabout.

"Yeah. You know, can your vision detect something like a tumor or something?"

Rachel frowned. "I'm not sure, but even if I did, it wouldn't help her," she said despondently. "I don't have anything that would help her," she said fighting the urge to cry.

"No, I guess not," Kendra sighed in disappointment. "Though knowing if she had a tumor or something would at least help focus Skylar's attention.

"We should tell Dr. Rosen. He could help," Nina suggested.

"No!" Kendra nearly shouted but when her passenger flinched she reigned in her temper. "I'm sorry but your Dr. Rosen isn't welcome anywhere near us. None of your team is. However, Nina needs you and Skylar cares very much for her friend. So…"

"Are Skylar and Nina…?" Rachel hesitated, not sure she wanted to know.

Kendra chuckled. "No Miss Pirzad. They aren't together. As I said, Nina has been asking for you and only you since she collapsed. Skylar…hell, we all know where her heart lies, even if Skylar was interested. Which she isn't. Now I hope you'll forgive me for this," she said softly before quickly placing a firm grip on a startled Rachel's thigh.

Rachel stiffened as an odd pulse traveled up her body and looked at the driver with alarm. "Wh…what are you doing?" she asked.

"Please, there is no need to be afraid. I have the ability to render people unconscious, but we need to make sure that our location is kept hidden this time," the woman said somewhat bitterly.

Rachel hesitated even as she started to feel disoriented. "I wouldn't tell anyone," she protested. "I wouldn't do that to Nina or to Skylar. Not again."

"It's not you we distrust Miss Pirzad, it's the others who destroyed our other home that we want to avoid."

"Oh," Rachel muttered before falling unconscious.

"Miss Pirzad we're here." Kendra whispered. "Rachel," she said a little louder and shaking the sleeping woman and sending another pulse through the small body.

Rachel stirred. She opened her eyes and panicked briefly when her head began to swim.

"Easy. It may take a few seconds to fully regain your equilibrium" Kendra said.

"Oh. Wow," Rachel said shaking her head to clear it of the fuzziness.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just…take me to Nina please."

"Alright, but Rachel, we're taking a very big chance. I'm asking you on behalf of everyone here, please don't use your abilities to try and find out where you are."

"I promise," Rachel assured her. "I don't want to do anything to put your people at risk. I only want to help Nina."

The older redhead nodded. "Thank you. Now let's take you to your girl."

Rachel winced at the last two words. Nina wasn't her girl. She wasn't even sure they were still friends. Sighing, she got out of the truck, managing to see, even though the only light came from the moon and the house that she was in the middle of absolute nowhere. She followed Kendra into the house and down a long hallway, barely noticing the suspicious looks from some of the people she'd met before as her worry for Nina was continuing to grow.

"She's in here. Kendra opened the door at the end of the hall. Rachel had to let her eyes adjust to the nearly complete darkness. Only a slight sliver of moonlight made its way through the thick dark curtains but Rachel adjusted her abilities enough to glimpse the woman who'd turned her whole life upside down and her stomach clenched at how weak she appeared.

"Skylar is putting Zoe to bed but she'll want to see you in a few minutes," Kendra whispered softly.

Rachel nodded and then she was alone with Nina and she simply stood there staring at the figure on the bed and wondering what she was supposed to do or say.

"Rachel."

The sound of her name jerked Rachel from her nervous musings and she quickly walked to the bed.

"Nina?" she whispered anxiously, her heart aching at the tears evident on Nina's face. Nina's eyes flickered and then slowly opened and another moan passed over dry lips.

"It hurts," she whimpered. "I just want it to stop. I just want Rachel," she slurred before her eyes started to droop again.

"Nina, I'm here. It's Rachel," she said placing a hand on Nina's cheek, alarmed by how cold her skin was.

"No. Rachel doesn't care. I hurt her."

Rachel's eyes stung, hearing the self-loathing in Nina's choked voice. "No. Nina you're so wrong. I do care. That's why I'm here."

Nina's eyes opened again and this time there was a welcome flicker of awareness in them. "You're really here?"

Rachel wiped at a tear that had slipped down her cheek. "Of course I am," she said sadly at how frail Nina looked even in the dim light of the moon.

"Why? Am I dying or something?" Nina tried to tease, but it just sounded dejected.

"No Nina, you aren't dying," Rachel said with a sad smile, "I read your letter. How could I not come?." She gently reached out to brush the hair out off Nina's forehead.

"I had to do it you know" Nina said. She reached up cup Rachel's cheek. "I did it for you."

Rachel's heart tightened in fear and she covered Nina's hand with hers. "Did what for me Nina?"

"I had to," Nina continued weakly. "I don't want you to be afraid of me anymore."

"Oh Nina, I'm not afraid of you, I never was. Now what did you do?"

Nina smiled and Rachel thought it was the saddest thing she'd ever seen. "A shot. It will make sure I can't force you to love me."

 _Love me._ Rachel's mind seemed to be stuck on those two words. Nina couldn't mean…what did she mean? "Nina, what…? She sighed as she noticed Nina's eyes had fallen shut and she guessed she'd drifted back to sleep. Unable to help herself she placed a soft kiss on Nina's forehead and then took a seat in the chair by the bed where she sat quietly and simply watched Nina, her concern increasing with every whimper.

Eventually Nina finally settled and Rachel knew she had put off talking to Skylar long enough. She made her way to the kitchen where she found the young woman waiting, along with Kendra and a large man she'd never seen before.

"You came then," Skylar said coolly.

"Of course I did," Rachel said, for once not backing down at the glare being directed at her.

"Nina told me what happened. What she did to you," Skylar said in her usual emotionless tone.

Rachel stiffened, wondering if her private life was always going to be the source of gossip for the other woman. "Right. Sure she did," she said feeling the return of her anger. "So?"

Skylar cocked her head, only the slight narrowing of her eyes told Rachel the young woman was not as uninterested as she appeared.

"So, I imagine you're still pretty pissed off. Maybe enough to help your friends track her here and drag her back to that hellhole they called Binghamton."

"I wouldn't…no," Rachel said adamantly. "I wouldn't do that to Nina or to any of you. Not after what happened the last time."

Skylar looked over to the strange man. He nodded once and Skylar's muscles all seemed to relax at once.

"Good, because this time we wouldn't be quite as forgiving as before," Skylar said coldly. "By the way, meet Frank. Like you, he is able to tell when someone is lying, though his abilities aren't quite as strong as yours."

"I…Nina hurt me. Skylar," Rachel said bluntly. "It wasn't the kiss either. What hurt me was that she told someone something I've been ashamed of for as long as I can remember. Something that until Nina made me afraid to get close to anyone, but I let myself trust her like I've never trusted anyone else and she used it against me. She and her boyfriend turned it against me but the worst thing…" she paused as she fought the memory of Nina's expression that night.

"What?" Skylar prodded. She knew Nina's side of the story and how badly she was haunted by what she'd done to Rachel and why, but she was oddly curious about the other side of the story.

"She laughed at me," Rachel finally said, shame filling her once again as she remembered how Nina had pushed her away. "This whole time I thought we were friends and I've just been a joke to her."

"Oh my God Rachel, that's not true."

Rachel's eyes shot to the voice coming from the doorway. Nina was leaning weakly against the doorframe but the tear rolling down her cheek was Rachel's downfall. She quickly got to her feet and walked to the taller woman, fully noticing how frail she looked in the full light of the kitchen.

"Nina, I thought you were asleep. You need to be lying down," she said anxiously. "Come on," she urged.

"No." Nina refused. "Not until I know you believe me." She carefully lifted her hands as if to cup Rachel's face but at the slight flinch she lowered her hands and her shoulders sagged in surrender.

"Nina," Rachel said brokenly, knowing her instinctive reaction had hurt her.

"Go home Rachel," she said. "I'll be fine and you can get your life back."

"I'm not going anywhere," Rachel said firmly, her hand reaching out to touch Nina's face. Her fingers slid into the dark hair that she knew had once been silky soft but was now flat. There were circles under eyes that were still beautiful despite the pain and sadness that filled them.

"We _will_ talk Nina, I promise but we have to get you well first. Tell me what you did that took your abilities."

"What she did?" Skylar interrupted. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Nina retorted.

"No. She told me she did something so she couldn't push anymore."

"That's not possible outside of Binghamton…is it?"

"Apparently it is," Rachel said. "What was it Nina? That could be what's causing your headaches?"

"It doesn't matter. This is what you…what everyone wanted, right?"

Rachel sighed. "Come on, we're putting you back into bed and then we're going to talk, well as long as you're able."

"Here," Skylar interrupted holding out a syringe, somewhat amused that she and Frank became invisible as soon as Nina entered the room, though part of her felt a sadness wondering if her friend would ever let herself see the happiness standing right under her nose.

"This is another sedative for when you're finished talking, to help keep her headache from flaring and it will help her sleep."

"Thanks," Rachel said, taking the needle in one hand, Nina's hand in the other and led her authoritatively down the hall.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

"Okay, get into bed," Rachel ordered as they entered the dark bedroom.

"Bossy," Nina retorted, even though a small smile lifted her lips. "Though, next time you should say that when my head isn't about to explode and I can react more appropriately."

Rachel blushed and ducked her head, hiding her shy smile behind her hair as she sat on the bed by Nina's side.

"You have the most beautiful smile I've ever seen," Nina whispered.

"Quit changing the subject," Rachel said with embarrassment. "You asked me if being without your abilities was what I wanted. The answer is no," she said soberly.

"Even if it meant I couldn't hurt anyone else?"

"You've made mistakes Nina but you aren't bad or evil and you definitely aren't a monster."

"Oh really? You weren't so sure about that last week," Nina said, a touch of bitterness in her voice.

"I was sure," Rachel protested. "I just wasn't prepared for Gary's questions and I kind of panicked. You know me," she shrugged.

Nina couldn't help but smile in agreement. Rachel did tend to fluster easily and Nina thought it was one of the most adorably sexy things about her. "I do," she replied.

Rachel was so caught up in her own regrets she missed the blatant look of longing in the dark eyes watching her.

"You are such an amazing woman." Rachel continued. "You have this powerful ability that you could use to do anything or get anything you want but you choose to help people. You're strong and confident and you have this beautiful heart that you try so hard to hide because it's been broken so badly, but I've seen it Nina. I've seen it in the way you care for people. For the Alpha's we have to track, for Gary and I've seen it in how you care for me."

"You can say all that even after what I did to you?"

"Yes," Rachel said confidently, "because your letter finally helped me understand Nina. Regardless of what you want me to think, or what you believe, I think…no, I know something happened to you. You were…. you were broken and lost. Something made you feel so alone that you thought that all you had was your ability to help you find happiness."

"You're giving me too much credit," Nina rasped out, willing to accept anything but the smaller woman's pity.

Rachel smiled gently and reached out to wipe the lone tear trailing down Nina's cheek. "No, I'm not. You forget my own abilities allow me to know when I've struck a nerve. Normally that tells me when someone's lying. This time, the way your pulse sped up, told me I was right. And I remembered what you said that night. That with Tommy you didn't have to pretend and he made you happy. You were looking at me when you said that. Why?"

Nina turned her face away, unwilling to reveal even more of herself. She shouldn't have been surprised when Rachel's long fingers gently grabbed her chin and pulled her face back to hers.

"Tell me," Rachel ordered softly.

"Because I was talking about you," Nina muttered. "I wanted him to be you. There, are you happy now?"

Rachel was struck speechless for a very long moment. Even though Nina had revealed her feelings in her goodbye letter, Rachel was still reluctant to believe it. "I don't understand," she finally admitted.

Nina sighed. She looked at the beautiful and far too innocent face of the best friend she'd ever had and the woman she'd loved for longer than she could remember.

"When we were living together, I was the happiest I've ever been in my life. You became my best friend and I loved having you there. Your friendship became everything to me. It grounded me when my thoughts and everything else started to become too much. It didn't take long for me to realize I was starting to feel more for you than I'd ever felt for anyone. More than you would ever want from me, so I buried it because I couldn't risk losing the friendship of the one person I cared most about but it happened anyway didn't it?"

"You never lost my friendship Nina," Rachel said confused.

"You left me Rachel," Nina said with a hint of accusation in her weak voice. "You moved out without a word and then quit the team. At first, I thought you had guessed how I felt about you and it disgusted you, but then all I knew was that I was alone again. I tried Rachel, I swear I tried to continue on, pretending nothing had changed but it had. I was so lost. Your leaving had left a very big void in my heart, so I tried to force other people to fill it, including Hicks who couldn't turn to another woman fast enough when my baggage got to be too much. Then I saw Tommy and I remembered what it was like when we were kids and I wanted that again. Of course, I had to force him to be with me, just like my father and I knew it wouldn't last, but it was all I had. Don't you see? I needed to feel wanted and Tommy was all I had."

Rachel's eyes closed at the heartbreaking loneliness in Nina's voice. She had no idea her leaving had affected Nina so deeply. "Oh God Nina. I never knew…why didn't you come talk to me?"

"Because I was afraid. I thought I'd driven you away and I couldn't face another rejection. Tommy...he was the safe version of you Rachel. Since I knew you didn't want me, I turned to the only other person who used to care about me once upon a time. Who had accepted me for what I was. Of course, that was a lie too."

"You are _not_ a what Nina and I…we all care about you. All parts of you. Gary, Dr. Rosen, Cameron…" she paused at Nina's flinch at the last name, trying not to notice the jealousy that flashed inside.

"No Rachel. You _need_ me for what I can do. When I'm not getting you what you want, you lecture me about what I do or how I live. Kind of like your parents do to you," she finished wryly.

Rachel flinched a little at that but didn't deny it. "Maybe, but that's because we worry about you Nina. Sometimes it's like you don't even care about what happens to you do but we…" she paused and decided if she wanted Nina to be honest, it was only fair that she do the same. "I care," she admitted quietly. "If you wound up hurt or being sent to Binghamton…or worse, it would break my heart."

Nina swallowed hard at the awkward admission but refused to even think that it meant what she thought it did. She simply couldn't let herself hope anymore.

"Maybe," Nina repeated Rachel's earlier response.

"Nina, please just tell me why you wanted to hurt me? Was it because I moved out?"

Nina's eyes closed. The headache was starting to return but it was absolutely nothing compared to the pain that filled her at Rachel's question.

"I don't know," she said, fighting tears. "I swear Rachel I don't know why I treated you the way I did or why I pushed you to kiss me. I just…when I looked up and saw you, I suddenly felt this small flicker of peace I hadn't felt in so long and despite Tommy and the other girls and the wildness going on at the club, I knew that in that moment I needed you more than I'd ever needed anything. I knew you could make it better. Make _me_ better but once again, I had to make you want me and I felt sick because I knew if Hicks hadn't shown up, I wouldn't have stopped."

Rachel was fully crying by now. She didn't even know what to think about Nina's revelation. She'd never let herself think that the always together Nina would ever see her as much as anything but a friend or at worst a source of cheap laughs but it seemed she'd overlooked just how deeply Nina felt…about everything.

"Why did you tell Tommy about me and my problem?" She asked, still trying to understand what was happening. "Do you know how that made me feel?"

"I didn't then," Nina answered. "I swear on my life I didn't tell him in order to make fun of you or diminish you in any way Rachel. I'd never do that to you. I told him because talking about you helped. And I mentioned your reactions to being kissed because I had been fighting my desire to discover it myself for so long and knew I'd never have the chance to. I couldn't talk to anyone else about my feelings so I talked to Tommy."

Rachel shifted on the bed so she could truly look into Nina's eyes, not the least bit afraid the woman would try and push her. She was, however, stunned to realize that her attraction to Nina Theroux was apparently reciprocated and even more so by the fact that she was now the strong, confident one of the two. The intensity in Nina's eyes had her pulse racing and she cautiously reached out and placed a hand against Nina's cheek.

"You could have talked to me," she said sincerely. "I would have listened."

"I couldn't. I didn't want you to hate me for the way I felt."

"I could never hate you Nina," Rachel swore. "You're my best friend and how could I hate you for feeling the same…" she paused, suddenly afraid of saying too much.

Nina ignored the increasing agony in her head as Rachel's words began to sink in. "Rachel?" she prodded hopefully.

Rachel couldn't look into those beautifully hopeful eyes and hide the truth. "I could never hate you for feeling the same way as I do. About you, I mean."

"Oh my God, really?" Nina breathed with a cautious hope that broke Rachel's heart.

"Yes. Nina, you know how beautiful you are, but if you were still the same shallow spoiled woman I first met or if you were truly making fun of me, your looks wouldn't have mattered at all. You know very well how hard it is for me to let myself get attracted anyone but you just made it so easy. You are the kindest, gentlest woman I've ever met. And your kisses…" she stopped as she felt her face heat painfully.

Despite the pain, Nina couldn't help but smile fondly. "Yes?" she prodded.

"I am not going to feed your already impressive ego Nina," Rachel retorted primly, though her lips twitched. "Suffice it to say that if you were a terrible kisser, no amount of mental coercion would have compelled me to go back for another one."

"Gosh Rachel, you really know how to flatter a girl," Nina said and then groaned when a sharp pain flashed through her.

"Nina?" Rachel said, instantly afraid.

"Please, it hurts."

Rachel fought her tears as she soothed a hand over Nina's forehead. She closed all of her senses as she looked past the damp skin trying to see if she could find any sign of a clot or anything that was causing the older woman such pain.

She'd never tried to look into someone's head before and she wasn't sure her abilities were that strong but she had to try. She focused everything she had and looked deeply, trying not to be weirded out by the fact she was actually seeing Nina Theroux's brain, which seemed extremely intimate.

What she was able to see was fuzzy at best and she didn't know anything about the make-up of the brain but she didn't see anything that looked like a clot but as she leaned closer she saw something that looked…out of place. "What the hell is that?" she muttered.

"Rachel?" Nina asked nervously. She knew the moment Rachel had lost herself in her ability and fought the pain so she wouldn't interrupt whatever she was doing.

Rachel blinked as she came fully back to herself. "I'm sorry," she said soothingly. "I was just looking to see if I could find what may be causing your headache."

"And?"

"And, I didn't see anything like a mass or anything, but I saw something weird right at the front part."

"Like…like what?" Nina asked, trying not to be afraid.

"I don't know," Rachel said worriedly. "I really couldn't see clearly, but it didn't look natural. What kind of shot did you take?"

"I don't know. I was having a drink at Traviata's and this guy approached me."

"Hardly a surprise," Rachel teased half-heartedly. "Though I expect he wasn't just wanting your number?"

"Jealous?" she asked and then smiled weakly at Rachel's blush. She winced as another shock of pain shot through her head but kept talking. "He knew me," she said thoughtfully. "He knew what I can do and said he could help."

Rachel frowned. "How did he know?" she asked suspiciously. "And Nina, you should know better about taking things, especially drugs, from people you don't know."

Nina sighed, unable to protest. "I know, but I was desperate. Not to mention drunk off my ass."

"Did you know this guy?"

"He seemed vaguely familiar, but not really. He just said he had come in contact with someone who had this new drug. One that could help people like us be…. normal."

"Oh Nina," Rachel muttered sadly. "Special powers or not, you'll never be what I'd ever call normal. Just because you're you."

"Sweet talker," Nina smiled and then groaned as the pain came sharper and longer than before.

"Look Rach, I don't know what the shot was he gave me and I know I was an idiot for taking it."

Rachel placed her hand on Nina's face, alarmed by how clammy her normally warm skin felt. "It's okay Nina. I do think that whatever it was wasn't designed to help alphas but we need to find out what it is and how to fix it."

"Well, maybe I'll get my wish after all," Nina said with a weak smile.

"No. You aren't dying Nina," Rachel said angrily "I'm going to find out if what I saw is what's hurting you and we're going to get it out."

"And what if you're mistaken and there's nothing there? What if it's just what I deserve?"

Rachel saw past the frustrating stubbornness and was alarmed by the resignation in her voice. "I'm not going to let you give up again Nina. God. When I heard you jumped off a building and would have died if it weren't for Hicks…do you know what that did to me?" She choked out, reliving the moment Rosen had told her about Nina's last desperate act.

"No, because you wouldn't talk to me," Nina replied simply, breaking into Rachel's morose thoughts.

"I'm sorry for that Nina. I was still so angry and humiliated and…confused."

"I know," was all Nina could say. "That's why you should just..."

Rachel refused to let her finish and quickly placed her lips over Nina's, gasping at the immediate shock of…. something, that went through her at the soft contact. It was a gentle kiss, nothing more than a press of lips due to the pain the other woman was in, but it was the only way she knew to stop Nina's words and show her she'd forgiven her.

"Please don't give up Nina," she whispered when she pulled away. "Don't give up on yourself and please don't give up on me. I'll fix this." She took the sedative that Skylar had given her and carefully injected Nina.

"I'm sorry I made you talk so much," Rachel said. "You need your rest, not to be interrogated."

"Rachel, you never have to apologize to me for anything," Nina said. "The pain is nothing as long you're talking to me again."

Rachel swallowed the lump in throat. How had she of all people missed how deeply Nina felt about her? "You need to try and let the sedative work now, okay?"

"Will you be here when I wake up?"

"Of course, I will," Rachel assured her. "I need to go talk to Skylar about what I saw and see if she has any ideas and then I'll be back, okay?"

"Thank you," Nina said sighing blissfully as the sedative began to kick in and her eyes closed.

Rachel looked down at the woman who'd somehow captured her heart. She leaned down and placed a kiss on Nina's forehead and then left the room.

Holding onto every bit of strength she had, she stopped by the kitchen where Skylar, Frank and Kendra were still waiting.

"I think I saw something in Nina's brain," she stated tonelessly.

"What?" Skylar sat up in her chair anxiously.

"I…" she paused knowing she was about ready to lose the grip on her emotions. "I just need a moment," she managed and then left the house

She made it several feet away from the house before her knees crumpled and she fell to the ground, breaking into heart wrenching sobs as she gave into the sorrow of everything she'd learned about the woman she'd thought she'd known and the terrifying fear that she wouldn't be able to help Nina.

Skylar was sitting alone in the kitchen when Rachel finally returned. It was clear she'd been crying and oddly enough that went a long way to convincing Skylar they'd done the right thing in calling her.

"You okay?" she asked as Rachel swiped at her wet cheeks and sat at the table.

"No," Rachel answered honestly, "and I won't be until Nina is better and back home where she belongs."

"What makes you think she's not home now?" Skylar asked seriously. "She's safe here, she can live how she wants and answers to nobody and she has people here who care about her without condition."

Rachel swallowed but didn't look away. "Maybe so, but back home she has me."

"Does she?" Skylar prodded.

Rachel frowned. "My relationship with Nina isn't your business."

"Actually, since she's currently laying in my bed, it kind of is," Skylar retorted. "But none of that matters right now. You said you saw something in Nina's brain. Any idea what it was?"

Rachel shook her head. "Not really, but what ever it was looked to be alive."

"Alive?" Skylar replied, alarmed.

"Well sort of. My view wasn't completely clear and I've never done anything like that before, but it looked like there were these little bugs or something."

"Bugs?"

"I can't think of a better way of describing it, but unless you've got an MRI thing laying around, how can we be sure of what it is?"

Skylar's lips lifted in a smile. "You forget what I can do," she said smugly. "I should be able to come up with a makeshift scan but I'm going to need some things."

"Do you want me to go back to the city and get them?"

"Nah. We've got a few people here who are a bit more adept at…subtle acquisitions," Skylar smirked. "Besides, I think Nina needs you here more."

"Oh. Okay. You know, I'm pretty sure that whatever it is in Nina's brain came from that shot she took."

"I agree. So once Nina is lucid again, we need her to find the person that gave her the shot from and invite him out here for a visit."

"Okay, even if you make an MRI or some other type of scanner, all that will do is identify something is there. How are we supposed to get rid of it?" Rachel asked, a wave of helplessness threatening to overtake her again.

"That's why we need the shitbag who did this to her. Any time some loser comes up with something like this, they always create an antidote or something."

"God, I hope that's true," Rachel said sadly.

"It's late Rachel. Why don't you turn in?"

"Okay I…oh damn. I wasn't prepared to stay the night," Rachel said in aggravation.

Skylar smiled and got to her feet. "Well, I've got some extra new toothbrushes and a t-shirt to sleep in, but we can get you some clothes when we go pick up supplies for the scanner if you want." Skylar paused and frowned at the shorter woman. "Unless you're wanting to go back," she added reluctantly.

"Are you…No, there's no way I'm leaving until Nina's recovered," Rachel replied quickly.

Skylar lifted her hands. "Okay, it was just a thought. So, I don't have any free beds but the sofa in the living room is kind of comfy."

"I…um," Rachel absolutely hated the fact that she was blushing "I thought I'd just uh, stay with Nina. If that's okay."

"Yeah, that may do Nina a lot of good," Skylar agreed. "So, hold tight and I'll get you some stuff you can use for bed."

"Yeah okay,"

Skylar left and quickly returned with a couple of t-shirts, towels, a toothbrush and other things she thought Rachel would need.

"Here you go. There's a bathroom in Nina's bedroom so you should be all set."

"Thanks." Rachel paused and then going against everything she knew, she quickly hugged Skylar. "Thank you, Skylar, for taking care of her."

Skylar couldn't hide her shock. Nina had told her how much Rachel dreaded physical contact, yet here she was embracing a virtual stranger. "She's my friend Rachel. Of course, I'd take care of her but she needs you."

Not knowing what else to say, Rachel merely nodded and went back to the bedroom, relieved that Nina seemed to be sleeping peacefully. She went into the bathroom and quickly changed and brushed her teeth taking more time than she really needed, suddenly a little afraid about what she was about to do. She'd shared beds with lovers before but it never went well. She'd feign sleep, unwilling to let her boyfriends know how uncomfortable she was by sneaking out early. Their smell, their snores, the roughness of their skin all conspired to keep her awake and drive her to near distraction and she'd leave the next morning incredibly tired and breaking off the relationship by the afternoon.

Nina on the other hand…Rachel had absolutely no doubt whatsoever that sharing a bed, even platonically would be different than anything she'd ever experienced. She knew that part of it was that she'd never shared a bed with a woman and women were softer and smelled different than men and were, in general, less intrusive, but with Nina it was more than that and she had no idea why.

"Are you going to get in or just stand there staring all night?"

Rachel jumped and squeaked drawing a soft laugh from the woman in bed.

"Nina, I'm so sorry I thought you were asleep."

"I was and I'm barely awake now, but I could feel you thinking."

"Oh."

"I know this will probably be hard for you, so I can go sleep on the sofa."

For a moment, Rachel was lost in the soft, sleepy timbre of Nina's voice and then her words penetrated the fascinated daze.

"Oh, no you don't," she said firmly and then crawled under the covers. "You're staying put."

Nina shifted. "But I know how difficult it is having someone in your space."

Rachel rolled to her side and placed a finger against Nina's lips, briefly diverted by the softness. Never before had she appreciated her abilities the way she did now.

"You're always taking care of me," she finally said with an affectionate sort of bemusement.

Even in her drug induced fog, Nina felt the warmth of Rachel's finger like a welcome burn. She pulled the digit away and placed a light kiss on the fingertip. "Rachel, you're a strong woman and don't need me or anyone to take care of you. I just…"

"You do take care of me," Rachel insisted and smiled at Nina's huff. "Now it's time for me to do the same for you. I think…I think you haven't had that enough in your life."

Nina looked away, her heart hurting at the truth of Rachel's words.

"Now, let the drugs do their thing and go back to sleep," Rachel ordered and ignoring her instinctive panic, she pulled Nina close, actually enjoying the feeling of Nina's head resting on her chest and the silkiness of her hair against her chin and for the first time in her life, she fell asleep without any of the dread and discomfort that usually plagued her.


	5. Chapter 5

The scream jolted Rachel awake and instinctively her hands flew to her ears to block some of the painful noise. Then she realized it was Nina and she turned to see the woman clutching her head, tears of agony streaming down her face.

"Nina," Rachel choked out, reaching out to stroke Nina's hair, but Nina was thrashing around so much she couldn't. The door to the bedroom flew open and Rachel looked desperately at Skye and the others who had rushed in prepared for battle.

"She's getting worse. Help her," Rachel cried, "please!"

Skye looked at the others, panic settling over her own face. "Where's Sarah?"

"Here."

Rachel watched anxiously as a small brunette pushed her way into the bedroom.

"I'm Sarah," she introduced herself to Rachel even as she pushed her out of the way so she could sit next to the sobbing Nina.

"Don't worry," she said soothingly at Rachel's wary expression. "I'm one of you, but I'm also a doctor. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this," she finished to herself. She pulled a syringe out of the pocket of her bathrobe.

"Do what?" Rachel asked suspiciously.

"Nina's getting worse and the only way to help her now is to induce a temporary coma-like state."

Rachel gasped "Coma? No! you can't…"

"Please don't worry. It's not truly a coma, but she's going to be sedated so heavily it will seem like one. It's the only way," Sarah insisted. "Whatever is inside of her head right now is killing her. We need to keep her calm so we can figure out what's wrong with her. She'll be monitored," she assured the frantic Rachel, even as she gently injected the syringe into Nina's arm.

It took the longest seconds of Rachel's life before Nina finally began to calm and then finally fell motionless. For a split-second Rachel thought Nina was dead and she nearly threw up. She placed a trembling hand on Nina's chest and tears sprung to her eyes when she felt the steady heartbeat.

"She'll rest now," Sarah said softly.

"For how long?"

"I'll need to wake her up in four days, a week at the most," Sarah said looking back at Skye and the others. "So, whatever you're going to do to figure out what's wrong with her and fix it, you better get to it."

Skye nodded and left without a word. Rachel promptly followed her into the kitchen.

"What are we going to do?"

Skye was pacing through the kitchen, extremely agitated. "I don't know. Roger is on his way back with materials for me to create a make shift scan so we can identify whatever it was you saw and we need to find the asshat who gave her the drug and find out how to get rid of them. I'm sending Kendra and some others back into town to where Nina met him."

"I'm going with them," Rachel said firmly.

"Rachel, I don't…"

"I'm going," she insisted. "If for no other reason than I know the place where he approached her and when we find this guy, I'll make sure he's not lying about how to fix her. Even if I have to pull the information from his brain myself."

Sky couldn't help but smile at the small woman's ferocity but her words surprised Skye. "All right. And I suspect that your Dr. Rosen and his nosy friends will spot you as soon as you hit town again so you can keep them out of the way."

Rachel thought for a moment. "Skye, Rosen has a full lab. Maybe he can help Nina."

"No," Skye snapped. "As much as I love Nina, I'm not going to risk the dozens of people in my care by letting Rosen stick his big nose into our business."

"I understand," Rachel said, "but just know that if we don't have a solution before it's time to wake up Nina, I'll take her to Rosen myself. Also, he really should be notified that there's someone out there giving drugs to people to remove their abilities."

Skye considered either laughing at the woman or threatening her, but she did neither. She respected Rachel's surprising strength and her obvious devotion to Skye's best friend. "Very well. Now get dressed and let's go."

Suddenly remembering she was running around the house but nothing but a short t-shirt, Rachel blushed and this time Skye did laugh.

"I'm going to get Kendra and a few others that have certain skills that could be helpful. I'll meet you out back in ten minutes."

Rachel nodded and went back to the bedroom to get changed. Sarah was just leaving the room when she approached.

"How is she?"

Sarah smiled. "She's stable and she's finally resting. Look Rachel, I know the word 'coma' sounds bad, but sometimes it's the only way for a body to heal. Or in this case, it will let Nina rest without pain until we can figure out what's wrong with her."

"I'm going with Kendra and the others to find the bastard who gave Nina the drug that did this to her," Rachel said with a strength of purpose she'd never felt before. "Skye says some others are coming back with some equipment to help build a scanner to look at Nina's brain. Are you...will you be able to use it?"

Sarah shrugged. "Yes. I've already run her bloodwork and it shows nothing abnormal. A brain scan is our only chance unless you find an antidote."

"I know," Rachel sighed. "Please take care of her."

Sarah nodded and walked away. Rachel entered the dark bedroom, grateful her enhanced senses allowed her to see well enough to cross the room without turning on the lights.

She dressed quietly and then sat beside Nina, trying not to panic at how frighteningly still she was. She softly stroked Nina's face, letting herself truly feel the softness of her cheek.

"I'll make everything right again," she swore softly. "I promise." She dropped a soft kiss on Nina's forehead as if willing whatever had invaded her head to go away.

She quickly left the room before she changed her mind. Rachel had never been the member of the group that used violence. That was more Hicks, Bill and Kat's forte, but she was fully trained and she'd use every single thing she'd learned on the man who did this to Nina Theroux and he would regret ever meeting her.

" _Dr. Rosen?"_

"Rachel?" Lee asked surprised. "Where are you?"

" _You don't need to know that right now. I don't have a lot of time but I have to warn you that someone may be out on the streets selling some sort of drug to suppress alpha abilities."_

Lee's eyes shot wide. "Rachel are you sure?"

" _Yes."_

"How do you…Nina?"

" _That's not important. You just…"_

"Not important?" Rachel, if Nina has taken something to suppress her abilities and is in trouble, you need to bring her here."

" _I can't do that and Dr. Rosen I need to ask you not to try and find me or Nina and that includes using Hicks or Gary. If it comes to it, I'll bring Nina to you, but right now, if I even suspect you're looking for us, I'll make sure we leave and you'll never find us."_

Lee was shocked by Rachel's demand and even more so by the cold firmness in her voice. "Very well Rachel, I'll do as you ask, but please, reconsider. I have equipment or access to equipment that may help her and we can help find whoever is selling this stuff."

There was a brief pause on the end of the phone line followed by a telling sniff. _"I know and believe me, if there is no other way, I'll bring her to you. We…I'm looking for the asshole who's selling this drug to see if there's an antidote, but I wanted to let you know in case you hear of other alphas who've taken it."_

"What are the symptoms?" Lee asked, alarmed by this new threat.

" _Mainly, from what I can tell, it's a constant crippling headache. And if you examine them, you'll find some sort of…I can't describe it, but there are little things in the brain."_

"Little things?" Lee all but shouted. "Rachel, you need to bring Nina in now so I can…"

" _I told you I'm not going to do that unless I have no choice. Don't make me regret contacting you."_

Lee ran a hand through his hair. He had never heard Rachel so assertive and angry and he was torn on whether he should ignore her wishes and find Nina himself.

"Very well Rachel," he finally replied, thinking that was vague enough not to be an absolute agreement.

" _I'm trusting you Dr. Rosen and so is Nina."_

"What if we find out information about this drug or who's selling it? How do I contact you?"

There was a pause on the other end and it was clear Rachel hadn't thought of that.

" _Send me an email. I'll get it."_

"Alright," Lee agreed, already wondering if Gary could use his abilities to track an email once it was opened.

" _And I'm sure you won't be having Gary or the others doing something to spy on that email."_

"Fine Rachel. You have my word," Lee said resigned.

"Rachel called."

Bill looked up from his computer. "What?"

"I said Rachel called," Gary stated blandly. "You should pay more attention."

Bill sighed, wondering if he was going to ever get used to the boy's tendency to lecture. "She called you?"

"No. She called Dr. Rosen. I heard them talking."

Bill snorted. "You want me to pay attention? Well, you need to stop eavesdropping."

"I'm spying, there's a difference," Gary explained as if it were the simplest explanation in the world.

"Fair enough," Bill replied, knowing better than to argue with the tenacious young man.

"Don't you want to know what she said?"

"I don't know. Do I?"

"Of course you do. I didn't actually hear what she said, but from Dr. Rosen's end, it wasn't hard to figure out that Nina took something to get rid of her abilities and is sick."

That did get Bill's attention. "What do you mean, took away her abilities?"

"I don't know. As I said I only heard one side, but Rosen said something about finding out who was selling it."

"So, somebody has come up with something to wipe out Alpha abilities and is making them sick."

"That's pretty much what I just said," Gary replied with a huff.

"So when is Rachel bringing Nina back? We'll need to…"

"She's not. Rosen tried to make her, but whatever she told him, he said he wouldn't force her."

"And I won't," Lee said, glancing angrily at Gary who didn't even look bothered that he'd been discovered.

"Gary, we are going to have a very long talk about respecting people's privacy at our next session," he said. "Now, please go get tell the others to met me in the conference room. I might as well talk to all of you."

"What's going on?" Bill said once Gary was gone.

"You'll find out with everyone else," Lee replied, his frustration adding an anger to his voice that wasn't usually there.

Bill sighed impatiently but followed Rosen to the conference room.

"Okay, I'm assuming Gary's already filled you in on the partial conversation he shouldn't have heard?" Lee asked, looking around at his team.

"Yeah. He said you're not forcing Rachel to bring Nina in," Hicks spoke up. "Why?"

"Because, there's already someone taking care of her," Lee replied.

"So what? Someone did something to Nina and we need her here to find out what."

"No we don't. Rachel assured me, Nina is in good hands and that if it comes to it she'll bring her in, but right now she's staying where she's at."

"I can find her," Gary announced.

"Maybe, but you're not going to."

The other alphas in the room all began to protest at once.

"Quiet!" Lee shouted. "Look, I don't like it any more than you do, but I gave my word. And she said if she even suspects we're looking for her, she will take Nina and make sure we never find her."

"This doesn't make any sense," Bill argued. "That's not like Rachel. Maybe she's taken something too?"

"No, I'm pretty sure she hasn't, but she's extremely protective of Nina right now."

"Since when?" Hicks spoke up. "I thought Rachel hated Nina for what she did to her."

"She doesn't, so let's leave it at that," Lee dismissed. "For now our focus is finding this person who's selling this drug. He or she may not be aware of the side effects it's causing. This person can tell us how it's made or lead us to the person who did create it and we can put a stop to it."

"But Rachel…"

"You are not to do _anything_ to try and find her," Lee said firmly. "Understood?"

The group nodded reluctantly, but Lee knew Hicks and Gary would most likely go against his wishes and he wasn't really sure what he would do if that happened.

Rachel and Kendra along with two other men, left Traviata's bar in disgust. They didn't see anything or anyone that looked even remotely suspicious and Rachel's hearing hadn't picked up any whispers about secret drugs or meetings.

"What now?" One of the men, Jack, asked.

"Let's check the alley," Kendra suggested. They approached the dark, dank looking space behind the bar and were hit almost at once by the stench.

"I'm glad I don't eat here," Kendra muttered in disgust. She looked at Rachel and noticed the sick look on the woman's face.

"You okay?"

"The smell," Rachel choked, trying not to gag as the stench of garbage and God only knew what else, assaulted her senses.

"Maybe you should wait in the truck," Kendra said kindly.

"No. I just need to adjust. I'll deal with it because Nina needs me to."

Kendra shook her head but shrugged. "Alright then. Come on half-pint," she teased, chuckling at the glare the other woman shot her.

Rachel shut her eyes and tried to push her visual and auditory senses over her sense of smell, relieved when it worked just well enough to keep her from throwing up. Rachel led the way into the alley. The others didn't bring flashlights so not to alert anyone so Rachel's senses would guide them in looking for people or any signs of any dealings aside from the usual coke or meth deals.

They searched every inch of the filthy alley and even several adjacent streets and alleys with no sign of anything or anyone.

"Maybe it's too late…or too early," Eddie Miller commented as they climbed into the truck.

"Could be. Nina didn't say what time she'd bought it."

"And even regular drug dealers don't maintain a routine,"

"Damnit," Rachel swore, her desperation nearly overwhelming. "How are we supposed to find some scumbag who doesn't want to be found?"

"We're alphas, Rach. We've got an advantage," Kendra smiled.

"Yeah, well what if this guy is too? Why else would he be selling this stuff?" Rachel fumed as the group made their way back to the safe house. None of them were comfortable staying in the city longer than necessary, knowing Rosen and the others could find them easily.

They returned to the house. Skylar was working feverishly in the kitchen but Rachel didn't care. She headed straight to the bedroom. She knew it was ridiculous, but she'd had one tiny flickering hope that when she walked in Nina would be sitting up, wide awake and waiting for her and seeing that wasn't the case, hurt her heart. She went to the bed and for a moment she simply stared down at Nina in the glow of the moonlight. For a brief second, she let herself imagine Nina was merely sleeping and she thought she'd never seen anything so beautiful as Nina was just then: no worries, no dark memories, no sadness at all on her face.

Sighing, Rachel stripped down to her bra and underwear and slid into bed beside Nina, uncaring if anyone thought it was weird or creepy. She needed to be close to the other woman, just in case she could sense her presence, even in a coma.


	6. Chapter 6

Rachel groaned as the light seemed to burn through her eyelids. Whimpering a little, she opened her eyes. Suddenly everything pushed through her sleepy mind and she remembered where she was and why. She opened her eyes, somewhat surprised to find herself wrapped protectively around a long, lean body. Nina's eyes were still closed and fear shot through her. How long could she stay this way?

"Good morning," she whispered, reaching out to touch the pale cheek, trying to ignore for as long as she could, the fact that Nina wasn't conscious.

"I'm going to be gone most of the day," Rachel said apologetically, wondering if Nina could hear her. She trailed her fingers through the soft, but sadly lackluster dark hair, brushing it from her face. "I swear though, I'll be back. I'm going to find the prick who did this to you and we'll make you better."

Unable to help herself, she placed a hand on Nina's chest and her eyes slid closed in relief as she felt the still strong beat of Nina's heart. "This is mine," Rachel said before kissing Nina's cheek. "Your heart is mine and mine is yours and we will be together."

Reluctantly, she slipped out of bed and gathered her clothes. She desperately wanted a shower, but she didn't have a change of underwear and knew she'd have to find a store if she was going to be staying away indefinitely.

She went to the bathroom and managed to freshen up as best she could before making her way to the kitchen, unsurprised to see Skylar hard at work at the scanner.

"Did you sleep at all?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah. I haven't been up long. There's some coffee made," she added.

Rachel took a moment to fix her coffee and take a sip, letting the extremely strong brew finish waking her up.

"How's it coming?"

"I'm almost done," Skylar was entering some sort of code into the devices computer, trying very hard not to get annoyed by Rachel's pushing.

Rachel watched the tech genius at work, her mind running through multiple ideas of how to track down the dealer.

"I need to go back to Traviata's," she finally said.

"Why?" Skylar asked. "You said you didn't have any luck before."

"I was thinking. Nina was there by herself. The guy that found her…he must have recognized her. Maybe he would me too since we often worked together. But if he saw me with the others that he didn't know, he may have been too scared to approach me. I need to go alone this time."

"Rachel," Skylar started, a warning clear in her voice.

"I'll be fine," Rachel insisted.

"What if you run into Rosen or one of the others. You know that Gary kid will probably find you the second you step foot in the city.

"I know. I told Rosen to make sure nobody tries to contact me but knowing the others, I'm pretty sure they won't listen. They've always liked believing they're better and smarter than me. Gary, he'll keep looking because that's what he does. He sees black and white and that there is a job to do."

"What if they intercept you?"

"I'll deal with it," Rachel snapped. "I know what's at stake if they interfere."

Skylar saw the determination in the face she'd once seen as timid and she nodded.

"Here," she dug through some of the gadgets she had on the table and handed Rachel a watch. "This is a modified smartwatch. It scrambles its own signature every one eighth of a second. If you get into trouble or if you find the asshole, tap this," she pointed at a weird looking icon. "Kendra and some of the others will be standing by."

"What about Nina?"

"I should have this finished before breakfast and then I'll run the scan and hopefully find out what it is you saw and find a way to disable them. Rachel, Sarah said she is going to have to wake Nina up soon."

"She can't? What about her pain?"

"I know. I don't like it either but it could be worse to leave her the way she is."

"How soon?"

"Two days at the latest."

"I'll have the antidote, or the asshole who created this…whatever it is…here before then," Rachel vowed and Skylar believed her.

It had been two hours since Rachel had entered the upscale bar. Thankfully, the lighting was dim and the music was soft classical so her senses were not bombarded as they'd been in the club where she'd found the distraught Nina and she was able to try and pick out any conversations that would lead her to the man she was looking for.

Suddenly a loud screech of feedback came over the speakers that was a nuisance to the other patrons, but nearly sent Rachel to the floor as she grabbed her ears. Thankfully it didn't last long and after a moment, the pain subsided, leaving her struggling to catch her breath.

"You alright miss?"

Rachel looked up at the man, and there was something in his eyes, an amusement and an arrogance that told her, this was the man she had been looking for.

"That noise was a little startling," she laughed weakly.

"For most," the man commented. "I couldn't help but notice that it had a shaper effect on you."

"I have something called hyperacusis," she prevaricated. "It's a sensitivity to certain noises." It wasn't a complete lie.

"Hm. I'd say you're right," the man mused and then leaned closer. "However, I know who you are Miss Pirzard and I think I can help you with your…'sensitivities."

Rachel's heart sped up. "I think you're mistaken," she said innocently, fighting a smirk when she realized the idiot had no idea he was being played.

"Let's step outside were we can talk more…freely," he said.

"I've heard better lines than that tonight," Rachel scoffed, taking a sip of her tonic water.

"Okay, if you're good with not being able to touch people without…well, I ain't one to judge," he smirked.

Rachel stiffened, only briefly wondering how he knew who she was and how things effected her. She had to keep her temper. Nina was counting on her.

"Fine, let's go," she said, pushing away from the table and following the man outside. She tapped the watch, connecting the special comm linking her to Kendra, when he led her to the alley.

"Why are we going into the alley?" she said, mainly so Kendra would know where they were going.

"Don't worry Rachel," the man laughed. "I know you've got friends out there looking for me and if anything happened to you, there won't be enough left of me to identify."

"How do you know me or anything about me?" She finally asked.

"I got my ways. How's your girlfriend Nina?" He asked and Rachel nearly snapped at his almost amused expression, but she reigned in her anger and poured it into her voice.

"How would I know? If you know so much, you know that Nina attacked me and I haven't had anything to do with her since." The lie nearly made her throw up.

"Yeah, that's what she told me," the man nodded. "I just wanted to make sure she wasn't lying."

"What does Nina have to do with why I'm standing in this disgusting alley with you?"

"Well, I found your friend…your ex-friend or girlfriend, whatever in the bar, a total fucking mess. I saw her do her thing having the bartender giving her bottle after bottle. You know, you people should really be more subtle when using your powers," he added with a grin.

Rachel tried not to lose herself in imagining Nina drinking herself into a desperate stupor. "Get to the point," she snapped, not having to pretend a lack of patience.

"Testy," the man grinned. "Anyway, I struck up a conversation with her and she was so drunk she had no problem spilling her guts about making you kiss her…though I gotta admit, I've had that image in my head for a while," he leered.

"Yeah, move on," she ordered, even as she felt the whisper of Nina's lips against hers and only just kept from sighing wistfully.

"She said she couldn't take it anymore. She hated her abilities and what they made her do to you. She said that if she didn't have them, that maybe you'd forgive her. I told her I could help her. Just like I can help you."

"How? What did you do?"

"Let's just say I know a lot of you freak…lot of your kind of people who hate their powers, or whatever you call them. It doesn't take one of you to know that you Rachel, have to hate yours. Too much light, sound, touch…it has to make you a bit crazy, yeah?"

Rachel couldn't deny it. Especially the absolute humiliation she'd felt at how close she'd come to public orgasm, just from one kiss with Nina, but she wouldn't let this asshole tell her she or Nina or any of her friends were freaks.

"I've learned to control it," she said stiffly.

"Yeah, but why should you? If you don't want it, I've got something that can make it go away."

 _This was it._ "What is it?"

"Just a little shot."

"What? Heroin?"

The man scoffed. "Hardly. I don't sell that shit. Look I don't make the stuff, I'm just the distributor, I know it ain't addictive. You just need the one shot and within hours you don't have to deal with whatever it is that makes you different."

"What if after I take it, I change my mind or it messes me up? I mean my 'power' is just my senses are enhanced. If I take it and it like turns me blind and deaf or something…is there an antidote?"

"Probably," the man shrugged indifferently, "but nobody's ever asked for one."

The grin on the man's face told Rachel more than anything that nobody ever asked for one because they didn't survive long enough to do so.

"Now, would be a good time," she said simply, enjoying the confused look on his face.

"Time for…" Kendra's hand was on his shoulder and he was on the ground unconscious, before he could finish the question.

"Man, criminals are stupid," Kendra muttered, as she patted him down, finding three syringes and a wad of cash in his pocket.

"You almost sound disappointed," Rachel couldn't help but laugh at the grumpy young woman.

"Well I am. I like a little bit of a work out when chasing bad guys and they just make it too damned easy."

"Sorry," Rachel laughed, a huge burden lifted off her shoulders, knowing they got the guy and they got the stuff that made Nina sick.

"Come on. Let's get him back to Skylar.

They were on their way out of the alley when a figure blocked their way.

"Hello Rachel."

"Hicks!" Rachel clutched her chest in fright.

"What did he give you?" Hicks demanded.

Fright was instantly replaced by fury. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. That's the guy that's turning alpha's into zombies and I'm taking him."

"The hell you are," Rachel shouted. "Rosen promised me you'd stay out of my way."

"Well Rosen isn't the boss of me. This guy has something dangerous. We've already tracked down six other alpha's who were suffering from some sort of mental breakdown who'd taken this junk and I'm taking him and whatever it is he gave you, back to Rosen so we can get a cure."

"Go to hell. This is for Nina and we're taking this guy with us. Go get one of ones you found.

"They're all in Binghamton," Hicks stated, either not seeing or not caring about the flash of pain on Rachel's face. "We need this guy."

"Too bad. I told you all to stay away from me."

"We have to help you Rachel," Gary said quietly, sneaking out from behind Hicks. "You're one of us. You're family and family helps each other."

"Gary, how could you?" Rachel sighed, feeling betrayed by the one person she thought incapable of betrayal.

"We have to find Nina and we have to find the medicine that made her sick," Gary said. "It's for the good of all alpha's, not just one," Gary said with the voice of one who only saw black and white.

"And you don't care if Nina dies," she stated, feeling better at the sudden realization on his face.

"Of course I do. So, bring her in and…"

"She can't be moved and there's no way I'm going to let Hicks, Rosen and Bill anywhere near the others after what they did the last time.

"You don't have a choice," Hicks broke in. "You're going to…." Kendra was on him before he knew what happened and like the dealer, now lay in an unconscious heap on the ground. Kendra turned to Gary who suddenly looked like a scared kid.

"No, wait," Rachel stopped her, unable to do that to poor Gary.

"Where are Bill and the others?" she asked, knowing they weren't far away.

"Two blocks down in a black car," Gary answered honestly.

Rachel thought for a moment. "Kendra, give Gary the syringe."

Kendra looked at Rachel in surprise. "You can't be serious."

"I am. Go ahead and give him that syringe the guy gave me." She hoped Kendra got the emphasis on the word 'the'.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Kendra said, reluctantly handing over only one of the syringes.

"Here. If you're so interested in this that you'd go against my requests and risk Nina's life, than take it. Maybe Rosen can find out what's in it. Tell him I will call him tomorrow to see what he found, but let him know that once this is over, I'm done. I will never go back. Not after this."

"Rachel," Gary said, feeling suddenly confused and lost.

"I'm leaving now. Can I trust you not to track us? Or does Kendra need to give you a nap?"

"No, I won't," he said quickly. He somehow knew he'd hurt his friend and didn't want to do it again.

"Thank you," she said, then kissed his cheek. "Goodbye Gary."

She and Kendra disappeared down the alley, relieved that Jack had already picked up their little package and took him to the truck.

"How the hell did they find us?"

"I don't know. Gary, most likely. Somehow, he was able to find me at Traviata's and they did what they do best. Spy. They've never taken me seriously," she continued angrily. "They've never thought I was anything but some helpless little girl that needed protection."

Kendra scoffed. "They never bothered to get to know you then," she commented seriously.

"Nina never did though," Rachel continued as if she hadn't heard Kendra. "Nina always treated me as an equal, as if she respected me." And she had to stop talking before she burst into tears.

They spent the ride back to the safe house in silence.


	7. Chapter 7

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Lee demanded as he slammed the conference room door behind him.

Hicks stiffened defensively. "We were about to catch the guy who…"

"Save it," Lee interrupted, glaring at the young man who always thought he knew better than everyone else, then at Bill, the man Lee had come to see as his right hand, and the man who should have known better.

"I told you to leave Rachel alone and you nearly ruined everything."

"She ruined everything," Hicks protested. "We have the equipment to get the information from that punk selling this drug. We've got the equipment to try and find an antidote, but she's too busy protecting Nina, a woman who's sold us out before and nearly…"

"Just stop," Lee said. "Rachel isn't protecting anyone. The people who are caring for Nina are protecting her from us, because the last time they helped us, we wound up costing them almost everything. They have every right to protect themselves."

"I have to agree with Hicks," Bill spoke up.

"What a surprise," Kat muttered, grinning at the glare she received.

"We've seen the effects of this drug and whatever Nina is going through, is happening more and more. We have to stop it, even if it upsets Rachel."

"Well how did that work out?" Lee asked. "You got knocked unconscious, we don't have Rachel and we don't have the seller."

"No, but we have a sample of the drug," Hicks said smugly. "And Rachel is smart. She'll understand what we did. If she can forgive Nina after what Nina did to her, she can…"

"She's not coming back here," Gary spoke up quietly.

"What?"

"She told me. She says she's done with us. She's done being watched and ignored."

"That's ridiculous." Hicks snorted

"Not really," Kat said thoughtfully. "She's always so quiet, I think we're all guilty of overlooking her."

Lee couldn't argue with that and he sighed. The others were right about one thing. They needed to focus on finding out what this drug was and out to reverse it. He knew Rachel would be in contact about the serum and he only hoped she'd give him the chance to explain he had no idea what Bill and the others had done.

"Wake up," Kendra ordered, slapping the drug dealer across the face.

"Ow, damnit. What the hell?" The man held his face, opening his eyes but seeing nothing but black. "I can't see! Why can't I see?"

"Oh, calm down you big baby," Kendra told him. "It's a blindfold."

"Well take it the fuck off," He shouted, struggling against the robes cutting into his wrists.

"That's not going to happen," Rachel said, stepping close to the man responsible for her Nina being in a coma.

"You're selling something to people that are torturing them, if not killing them. What is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," the man spat.

"You're lying," Rachel stated coldly. "Try again."

"Go to hell," he smirked, earning another sharp slap in the face.

"You clearly know my abilities," Rachel said with a very dangerous calmness. You know Nina's because somehow, you've been following us, which means you know about Rosen and the others. However, I sincerely doubt you know anything about any of the people you're with right now. These are people who have abilities I'm not even aware of. Maybe I should let them demonstrate on you."

"You wouldn't do that," the man laughed, though there was a definite hint of fear in his voice. "Like you said, I know about you. I know you're the timid little kitten of the group."

"Maybe. But that was before you went after Nina," Rachel said, then nodded at one of the men that she recognized as Jeffery, a former prison psychiatrist."

"We'll start with an easy question," Jeffery said pleasantly, stepping in front of the man. "What's your name?"

"Nunya," the man sneered.

"Clever," Jeffery replied, before putting his hand on the man's forehead.

"What's your name?"

"I ain't telling…" the man suddenly screamed in pain.

"His name is Bert," Jeffery announced. "He should probably just stick with Nunya."

"What did you do to me?" The man gasped.

"I have the ability to pull information from people's mind. You would think the criminal justice system and the medical board would appreciate such an ability, but no. Protecting rapist and murderer's rights are far more important than protecting innocent people."

"Easy Jeff," Skylar said sympathetically. Jeff took a deep breath and turned back to their 'guest.'

"You can't just steal my thoughts," the man whined. "I got rights."

"If you were in the system, then yes you do. We, however, have been rejected by that system and so we no longer feel obliged to operate inside of it. Now, are you going to tell us what we want to know, or am I going to have to take it?"

The man was silent, mentally trying to figure out how to block his thoughts.

"Okay, I guess we'll do it the hard way. Who's behind this drug?"

"No, I can't…he'll kill me."

"Not if we get him first. Tell me."

"No…please!"

Rachel's senses picked up the man's fear and she almost weakened, until she thought about Nina and the horrible pain she'd suffered.

"Are you going to tell us?"

"I…no I can't."

Rachel nodded at Jeffery.

"Sorry buddy," he said with a sincere reluctance. He put his hand on Bert's forehead.

Bert screamed again, unaware of Rachel covering her sensitive ears, whether to block out the noise, or the pain she was causing, she didn't know.

"Okay, I'll tell you," Bert sobbed. "Just stop."

Jeffery pulled away. "Thank you," he said, sincerely relieved. Regardless of his belief that some things had to be done, he didn't enjoy inflicting the kind of pain that ripping thoughts from people's minds caused.

"I got a name," Jeffery told the others. "Tallmidge, but that's all I pulled before Bert here decided to cooperate."

"Jack, get our guest some water," Skylar ordered and stepped over to the weeping Bert.

"Believe it or not," she said kindly, "none of us, especially Jeff, enjoyed that, but that crap you're selling is torturing innocent people."

"Torture?" Bert asked, still breathless with pain. "It's not torture, it's helping people who don't want to be freaks anymore."

Skylar's expression tightened. "We are not freaks," she said coldly.

"Well they feel like it. Your friend Nina said she wanted to stop hurting people, that she wanted to be trusted again."

"That shit you gave her did suppress her abilities…"

"See?" He asked, desperate. "It's helping. I just offered it, I never forced anyone to take it."

"It did more than suppress it," Skylar continued angrily. "It caused headaches so bad she had to be put into a coma, just to escape from the pain and to keep from going crazy."

"That's not true." Bert argued, desperately wishing they'd take off his blindfold.

Rachel studied the man before stepping next to him and placing a hand on his throat.

"You're saying you really believed this stuff was harmless?" she really wanted him to be lying.

"I swear. I was just told it would help."

Rachel sighed and looked at the others. "He's telling the truth."

"That doesn't change anything," one of the other members said angrily. "In fact, that makes it worse. You went out selling crap to desperate people not even knowing what it was, for what? Money?"

"No. Well partly."

"Who's Tallmidge?"

Bert sighed, knowing he had no choice but to tell these people what he knew. He was dead either way.

"Dr. Richard Tallmidge. He said he works for a research facility that studies 'special' people. He had developed this drug to help people suppress whatever it is that made them different, but his bosses refused to listen so he decided to prove them wrong and test it on the public."

"How did you get involved? You aren't an alpha."

"No, but my older brother was."

"Was?"

Bert sighed. "Yeah. He was what the doctor said was 'hyperadrenal'. Like your friend, Bill."

Rachel clenched her jaw, reminded that this guy had been spying on her friends.

"You said was?"

"He died." Bert said dully. "He grew addicted to all those things he could do; the speed, the strength and all of that. It made him the star football player in high school and then college. He loved all the attention and popularity, and he loved how his sudden bursts of rage intimidated people. He just kept using it, despite the warnings the doctor gave him and then a couple of years ago, he went into a rage and his heart just quit. He was twenty-three."

Rachel felt a burst of reluctant sympathy for Bert. She'd seen the strain Bill was often under, trying to control his abilities and she often worried for his health.

"I'm sorry about your brother, but that doesn't explain your connection to Tallmidge."

"I'd think it would be obvious. Tallmidge was my brother's doctor."

"Oh."

"Yeah. And he contacted me after the funeral and told me about something he was working on so that others wouldn't have to go through what we did. He let me help him and then when his boss told him to forget it, he asked me to help him prove it worked."

"How?"

He had told me about an old colleague of his. Lee Rosen and his work with people like my brother. He paid me to research all of you and learn everything I could about who you were and what you did. He knew that you all would eventually lead him to others that we could test his drug on

"How the hell didn't you guys know you were under surveillance?" Skylar scoffed. "Oh wait, we've already experienced your boss's lack of perception."

Rachel rolled her eyes but otherwise ignored the other woman. "Okay, so all of this is interesting, but right now I don't care. I want to know how to reverse what it does. How do I save Nina?"

"I don't know," Bert said. "I swear."

Rachel knew he was telling the truth and she wanted to scream in frustration. "Now what?" Rachel demanded of Skylar or anyone else who could answer.

"The scanner is finished, so Sarah can run some tests on Nina," Skylar said as calmly as she could. "And I'll look at this serum."

"We'll go get this Tallmidge guy," Kendra spoke up.

"No," Rachel said firmly. "Enough is enough. I'm going to Rosen."

"Rachel…"

"Forget it Skylar. Rosen has access to equipment and information we don't and apparently he knows the guy responsible. He is our best choice for helping Nina."

"I know that but…"

"I won't bring him here," Rachel insisted. I will meet with him and him alone at a place we choose, but we need his help. Nina needs his help and I'm not going to let her die or go crazy just because you're paranoid."

Skylar wanted to argue, but she knew Rachel was right.

"Okay Rachel. Do what you have to do."

Rachel nodded. She would take a truck and call Rosen from her disposable phone, miles from the house, in case Gary was spying again, but first she needed to see Nina.

She went back to the bedroom, part of her hoping that when she opened the door, Nina would be sitting up, smiling at her. Sadly, Nina was as she had been the last few days and Rachel wanted to cry.

She knelt beside the bed, taking Nina's hand in one of hers, and using the other to brush a lock of hair from her forehead.

"Please hold on Nina," she whispered. "I'm going to fix this." Sighing, Rachel placed her head on Nina's chest, finding comfort in the beautifully strong heartbeat After longer than she'd intended, Rachel lifted her head, needing to go arrange a meeting with Rosen.

"You're a fighter, Nina. You always have been. Please keep fighting," Then, unable to help herself, she placed a gentle kiss over Nina's heart. "Fight for yourself, fight for me and fight for what we'll have together, once you're better."

She kissed Nina's lips once, then left the room before she fell apart and was unable to help anyone.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8

"Hello Rachel.

"Dr. Rosen," Rachel greeted, sitting across from the older man.

"Interesting choice for a meeting place," he commented drily.

"I thought so. We're in the middle of nowhere with no technology that Gary or Kat can hack into and I've already shown photos of Bill and Hicks to the bouncers so I will know if they're here."

"You didn't have to do that, Rachel. I talked to the others and they…"

"They ignored you before and I have no doubt they'll do it again," Rachel retorted angrily. "It's very lucky that the people I'm staying with didn't throw me as well as Nina out into the streets."

"You mean Skylar?" Lee guessed.

"I never said…"

"You didn't have to. She's the only person who has a reason to want to keep us away," Lee admitted sadly.

"Yet, you keep pushing and following me."

"I didn't," Lee insisted.

"Then you need to put a leash on the others," Rachel snapped, before calming herself. "That doesn't even matter right now. We're here because I have information you want and you, hopefully, have information I want."

Lee wanted to demand Rachel bring Nina to him so he could fix her. He was as much to blame for Nina's condition as Rachel was, if not more given what he forced her to do, but he wouldn't go against Rachel or betray Nina and Skylar again.

"Okay. I ran the tests on the serum in that syringe. To put it in the simplest terms, those little things you saw in Nina's brains are actually small nanobots."

"Nanobots?" Rachel frowned. "They're artificial?" She wasn't sure if she was supposed to be relieved or horrified.

"Yes. They're actually a pretty sophisticated design that attaches themselves to the brain, so I haven't yet been able to find out what their function truly is or how to deactivate them."

"Damnit," Rachel swore, fighting a panic attack. If Rosen didn't know how to stop them, then Nina was either going to have to be removed from the coma and have to suffer for god only knows how long until she couldn't take it, or she'd stay in a coma and die.

"I don't like it any better than you Rachel," Lee said sadly. "If I could talk to who created them, maybe I could..."

"And that's why I'm here." Rachel was relishing having the upper hand for once in her life. "Does the name Richard Tallmidge ring a bell?"

Lee sucked in a sharp breath of surprise. "You can't be serious."

"I take it you know him?"

Lee ran a hand over his face, wondering why he hadn't thought of it himself. "It was years ago. We worked together for a while, studying alphas. While I was trying to find a way to understand them so I could help them learn how to cope with their gifts, Richard's entire focus had been to find away to 'cure' them of their…'abnormality.' Apparently, he found it."

Rachel winced a little at the word abnormality. "Is he an alpha?"

"No."

"Then what gives him the right?" she asked angrily.

Lee shrugged. "I don't know Rachel. We won't know what his motivation was until we talk to him."

"And unfortunately, this is where I need your help."

"Help with what?"

"We've tracked him to Binghamton and none of us can risk getting in there to…talk to him. We need you to convince him to leave."

"Very well," Lee agreed, "but here's what's going to happen. We will pick him up out of Binghamton but we're bringing him to our offices and we need Nina there too."

"What? No way," Rachel protested adamantly

"I'm not budging on this Rachel. When we get Richard to talk, I'll have the equipment to start working on a cure for Nina almost immediately. I know how gifted Skylar is, but it will still take her time to build what she needs and there's no telling if it would even work."

Rachel had to agree in one aspect. The scanner Skylar had worked so hard on had been a bust, to Rachel's dismay and hadn't shown anything but unidentified objects on the front of Nina's brain. She knew they needed more help, but she didn't trust her former colleagues any longer.

Lee saw the distrust on her face and it made him sad. Of all of them, Rachel had the kindest, most open heart and it saddened him that all of this had hardened her.

"I swear to you Rachel, on everything I hold dear, that no harm will come to you, Nina or anyone else you bring here and whatever happens, once everything is resolved, Nina is free to go or stay as she wants."

Rachel wanted to refuse, but she knew he was right. They were running out of choices. Sarah was going to have to wake Nina up and there was no telling what sort of agonizing pain Nina would be in. They needed a resolution and they needed it now and she would make sure Skylar understood that, one way or another.

"I don't want Hicks anywhere near her." Rachel said.

Lee sighed. The anger, bordering on hatred toward Nina's ex-boyfriend was unexpected. Her very nature as a hyperesthesia made her gentler and more compassionate than other people, but she was different. Ever since Nina had left again, Rachel had become more assertive and far less inclined to follow blindly and her animosity toward Hicks was quite unlike her and Lee didn't know if it was because of his spying on her, or his previous relationship with Nina.

"Alright," he conceded.

"Good. I'll go talk to the others and tell them we're bringing Nina here. You contact me when you have Tallmidge."

Lee just barely kept from telling Rachel that had she brought Nina to him days ago, they may have already helped her. It wouldn't help anything and just make her feel bad.

"I'll be in touch."

"Hey," Rachel whispered, sitting on the bed next to the still unconscious Nina. "It's almost over sweetie," she added, running her fingers through Nina's now dull black hair before dropping to take Nina's limp hand.

"We know who made the crap that did this to you and Rosen is going to get him. Bert, the guy who sold it to you has been dealt with too. His memory of all of this has been erased and once we know Rosen has this Richard Tallmidge, he'll be dropped off back in town. The poor guy really thought he was helping you. It turns out his brother was like Bill and one day his abilities took their toll on his body and he died. Tallmidge was his brother's doctor and convinced him to help test his new drug on alpha's and we were the bait that helped him track his subjects."

Rachel bit back her bitterness. "They knew about all of us Nina," she continued. "They knew about what happened with you and even how I'd turned against you. I made it so easy for them to target you," she said sadly, guilt once more filling her before she pushed it aside. There were more important things to focus on at the moment.

"Sarah's going to wake you up soon and then we're taking you to Rosen. Please don't be mad Nina, but there isn't a choice. Skylar has tried everything she could but nothing has worked. Rosen has equipment we don't, that can help. He and the others are going to find the man who did this and we'll make him fix you and anyone else he's hurt." Rachel sighed, stroking her finger over the soft skin of Nina's face. "And once you're there, we're going to bring you out of this coma. To be honest, I should have made them let me take you to Rosen when I first got here, but you know what a mouse I am," she said sadly. Suddenly, she felt a squeeze of her hand and her heart jumped, briefly thinking Nina was awake. She lifted her eyes but was disappointed to see there was no change.

"Knowing you the way I do, I know you'll be horrified to wake up in this condition, so…I'm going to give you a sponge bath and wash your hair. I promise I won't ogle…much," she gave a shaky smile, desperately afraid of what was going to happen once Sarah awakened Nina.

Skylar had offered to help Rachel with the sponge bath, but Rachel had refused. She wanted to be the one to do this for Nina. She needed to be. Nina was suffering because of her and Rachel knew that Nina had never had anyone take care of her, her entire life. It was time that changed.

She undressed Nina as best she could. For someone so slender, she was a bit heavier than Rachel had expected, but it was a beautiful weight, because she was still warm and while Rachel held her close, removing her top, she could feel the strong beat of her heart.

She dipped a sponge into the warm water Skylar had brought and gently yet swiftly began to bathe the sleeping Nina. She forced herself to ignore the senses crying out to be enhanced so they could fully experience the incredible body beneath her hands, but Rachel fought her instincts. She had far too much respect for the proud woman than to take advantage of her situation and far too much respect for herself to be so weak and despicable. She finished with the bath and then washed her hair, anxious to see it back to it's thick, shiny and beautiful condition.

"There, you're all sorted now," Rachel said, a bit breathless after redressing the much taller body. "I'm going to get Sarah and then I'm going to Rosen's. I'm sorry Nina. I know I'm a coward, but I can't be here when Sarah wakes you up. I don't think I could bear to hear your screams. Not because of my senses, but because seeing you in pain and not being able to help you, would break me."

Taking a shaky breath, Rachel leaned forward and placed a kiss on Nina's lips before moving to her ear.

"I love you Nina," she whispered. "I love you." Then she pulled away, knowing if she didn't leave now, she wouldn't.

Rachel was at the service elevator door with Rosen when the door opened and Jack and Kendra, followed by Jeffery, stepped off. Jack had a whimpering Nina in his arms.

"Nina," Rachel choked, quickly going to the big man's side so she could look at Nina's face. Instead of the peaceful expression Nina had worn while in the induced coma, it was clear she wasn't conscious but her face was pinched in pain, her body shuddering and she was whimpering pitifully.

"Oh Nina," Rachel placed a hand on her face. "I'm here." Almost immediately, Nina seemed to calm, as if she'd heard Rachel, but within a second, the trembling had started again.

"I had to knock her out," Kendra said apologetically. "The pain…" she stopped as she saw the tears in Rachel's big eyes.

"This way," Rosen said immediately. They stopped to see Hicks, Bill, Gary and Kat standing nearby.

"Nina?" Hicks said, horrified to see how frail she looked. He glared up at the man holding her. "I'll take her, she's my girlfriend," he said arrogantly, forgetting that they'd broken up before Nina had run away the first time.

"You don't touch her," Rachel said stepping between her former teammate and her new one. "And actually, she's my girlfriend."

Hicks looked down at the woman he'd never really thought much about. She was nice and super hot, but so timid that she often proved to be more of a hindrance than anything, and she had always seemed to be in the way while he was dating Nina, but now here she was saying that Nina, the woman Rachel had hated for making her kiss her, the woman he had a history with and who he had plans on getting back together with, was her girlfriend?

"Oh, come on Rachel," Hicks laughed. "You can't expect me to believe that."

"I don't care if you do or no. It's the truth and you and the others aren't allowed to be here."

"Says who?" Kat demanded.

"Says me. And Nina."

"Please, all of you, this isn't the time." Lee interrupted. "I need to examine Nina. You all need to go talk to Richard. He hasn't told me anything and I fear it's going to take more persuasion than I can offer."

Rachel knew what he meant and the old Rachel would have balked at using her abilities to coerce a person's cooperation. The new Rachel, the Rachel who had witnessed the strongest woman she'd ever known, suffering unspeakable pain because somebody decided that alphas are better off without their abilities, embraced the idea and she was glad she'd asked Jeffery to come along. If Tallmidge refused to cooperate, Jeffery would rip it from his mind.

"Mr. Tallmidge," Bill greeted as he led the others into dimly lit, windowless room.

"Dr. Tallmidge," the older man corrected coldly. "This is kidnapping. I know who you all are and I'm going to see you all at Binghamton for this."

"I don't think so," Bill said pleasantly. "What you are going to do is to tell us how to fix our friend."

"Fix her? I don't know what you're talking about," Tallmidge scoffed.

"The hell you don't," Hicks said, pushing his way over to the seated man.

"Hicks," Bill warned gently.

"We know you created something to suppress alpha abilities. We even know what it is. Now we want to know how to reverse it."

"Reverse it? Why the hell would I do that?"

"Because you're hurting people," Gary said bluntly. "Doctors are supposed to help people, not hurt them."

"I am helping them. I help people like you who are tired of being burdened by the abilities that are ruining their lives."

"Well who the hell asked you to?" Kat asked.

"Your friend Nina, for one," he smirked. "She was miserable and when my man saw her, he barely got the words out before she leapt at the chance to take it."

Rachel winced, reminded again, just why Nina had been so anxious to take it. "I don't care why you created this crap. I don't care about anyone else who chooses to take it. What I do care about is that it's torturing people. At least Nina. Whatever these things are, they have caused headaches so bad she was screaming with the pain until she had to be put into a coma."

"There have been six other alphas who wound up in so much pain or so freaked out they wound up in Binghamton," Bill added.

"That's not possible," Tallmidge replied, a lot of his bluster starting to fade.

"It is possible," Rachel retorted. "It's happening. Now, how do you get rid of these things?"

"I don't know," Tallmidge replied stubbornly.

"You're lying," Rachel said calmly. "And I didn't even need to read you to know that. People like you always make some sort of antidote or have some sort of…back-up plan, so you can turn around and sell the remedy at twice the cost. Tell us."

"You can't do this. I've spent my life on this."

Just then a muffled scream filtered into the room.

"What the hell was that?" Bill asked, his hand going to the gun on his hip.

The scream sounded again and Rachel's hands went to her ears, the sound amplified and piercing her heart.

"It's Nina," she breathed, she let her fury override the concern for Nina that was enhancing her hearing.

"Tell me how to stop it!"

"Rachel, enough," Bill ordered. When the small, formerly timid woman turned toward him, he took a step back. He had never seen such a deadly look in her big eyes. He had never thought she was even capable of it.

"It's not enough," she cried, swiping at the tears that she hadn't known were falling. "You go to the lab and look at Nina," she spat. "Then come back and tell me to be patient."

The others exchanged glances. Even though the screams they heard were nowhere as powerful as what Rachel could hear, none of them wanted to face the woman making them.

Rachel saw that none of them moved or said anything else so she turned to Jeffery.

"Take it," she ordered the big man.

Jefferey stepped beside Rachel and shook his head. "It would be so much better for you if you just told us what we wanted," he said kindly.

"Go to hell."

"Suit yourself." He placed his hand on Tallmidge's head and within a heartbeat the older man's screams were drowning out Nina's.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Hicks shouted. He moved to pull the stranger off the older man but the woman Kendra stepped between them.

"Unless you want another nap, you'll back the hell off," she warned.

"Rachel, stop!" Gary cried, his hands over his ears as he tried to understand what was happening.

Guilt ate at Rachel, knowing noise was as much an issue for Gary as it was for her, but she wouldn't stop. Not until she had what she needed to save Nina.

"I'm sorry Gary," she said, "but it has to be done."

After a very long and horrible minute, Jeffery pulled away, sighing heavily while Tallmidge slumped in his seat, weeping softly.

"Well?"

"It's so simple I can't believe Skylar didn't think of it," he shook his head.

"If it's so simple, why did you torture him so long?" Hicks retorted sarcastically.

Jeffery, smirked at the arrogant man, not the least bit intimidated. "He put up a bit of a fight," he said, addressing Rachel. "I had to be a bit rougher than usual, but I didn't hurt him."

"It sure as hell looks like you did."

"Well it certainly didn't feel good," Jeffery shrugged, "but It was his choice"

"What did you learn?" Rachel interrupted,

"Electrical impulse." Jeffery said.

"What?

"A series of specifically calibrated electrical impulses to the brain. That's what will shutdown the little bastards."

"That could kill her," Rachel protested.

"Not if it's done right," Tallmidge said meekly.

"And how do we do that?" Bill asked.

"We could just take it," Kendra suggested impatiently.

The compassionate side of Rachel that hadn't been erased by her fear for Nina, finally made itself known. "Not if we don't have to. Will you tell us how to help her?"

Tallmidge wanted to shout 'hell no!' but the fear of having his mind invaded again, kept him from doing so. Still he wasn't about to completely roll over for these people either.

"Will you take me to your friend?" He asked.

"Why?"

"I want to see for myself, if what you're saying is true. I want to know if I'm as guilty of doing to your people, what you just did to me."

Rachel wanted to argue that what Jeffery had done was nothing like the doctor's drug, but she realized she couldn't.

"Alright."

Rachel led Tallmidge and the others back to the lab and Rachel's knees nearly gave out as she saw Nina huddled in the corner, rocking back and forth and sobbing with her hands over her ears. Lee was kneeling beside her, trying to settle her down.

"What are you doing to her?" Rachel demanded, stepping into the room.

Lee stood up, hands held up. "She woke up and I've been trying to settle her long enough so I can get her onto the examination table."

Rachel forced herself to enhance every other sense she had except hearing as she approached to agonized woman.

"Nina," she said quietly, placing a hand on trembling shoulders. To everyone's shock, Nina momentarily stilled at the first touch of Rachel's hand.

"Rach?" Nina turned and looked up at her with pain and tear-filled eyes.

"It's me Nina. I'm here and I'm going to help you."

"I can't take it anymore," Nina cried. "It hurts."

"I know, sweetheart," Rachel whispered, her heart breaking. She placed a hand on Nina's face, wishing more than anything she had the ability to take away pain the way Jeffery took thoughts. "We're going to help you. I swear it."

Nina covered Rachel's hand almost desperately. "Rach, whatever happens, if I don't make it, I want you to know that you are loved," she whimpered. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone."

"Oh Nina," Rachel choked, tears now falling down face. "I love you too Nina and you will make it, but we need you to get on the table. We found the man who created that drug you took and he's going to make it all go away."

Nina nodded and with Rachel's help, got to her feet. A bolt of agony shot through her head, causing her to double over and scream, wishing that she would just die already.

"Nina!" Rachel cried, sliding an arm around her girlfriend. "Stay with me," she begged, stroking a hand up the slender back.

"Please hurry," Nina whispered, fighting the urge to scream as another burst of pain shot through her.

Rachel helped her onto the bed and Kendra was by her side in a second, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Just sleep, for a little while longer," she said softly.

With a whimper, Nina was unconscious once more, though her body still trembled with a lingering pain.

"Dear God, I had no idea," Richard said in growing horror.

"If you'd tested or even monitored those you gave the drug to, you would have known," Bill retorted sharply, his own heart hurting at seeing first hand, what Nina was enduring.

"I don't care about any of that right now," Rachel said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Do whatever you have to, to get rid of those things."

"Very well, but it's going to take time. Lee, will you assist?"

"Of course," Lee agreed. He was worried about Nina and the others who'd taken Richard's treatment, but he couldn't deny a professional curiosity in learning how this drug worked.

"Why don't you go back to your offices," he suggested, looking at Bill and the others. "We've got a handful of potential cases to review."

Reluctantly, they nodded and left the lab, except for Rachel.

"I'm not leaving," she said stubbornly.

Lee knew better than to argue with this new, assertive Rachel. "Alright," he sighed.

Rachel sat in a chair beside Nina. She took Nina's hand in hers and gently kissed the knuckles before settling in to watch the two older men work.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

It had been two days since Rosen and Tallmidge had pulled together a device that deactivated the nanobots attacking Nina's limbic system. Rachel still had no idea what they did and she didn't care. She just wanted Nina to be okay.

It had taken far longer than Rachel was happy about. Deactivating the nanobots had been the relatively easy part, however, the procedure to make sure the things had been fully destroyed and not absorbed into her brain was a bit trickier. They had kept Nina sedated for two days while Tallmidge poked, prodded and scanned. Rachel had been there every second, watching everything they did, even if she didn't understand it, until Lee finally convinced her to go home, see her parents and freshen up.

Her parents, Yasmine and Behrouz were happy to see her, for about ten seconds.

"Rachel," her mother cried, grabbing her into a breath stealing hug, followed by her father.

"Where have you been?" Behrouz asked, as they headed into the living room. "Your Doctor Rosen said you were on an assignment but wouldn't tell us anything else."

"Why didn't you call us?" her mother added.

"I couldn't," Rachel sighed, deciding she was going to tell her parents the truth, whatever the consequences. She was tired of hiding.

"I wasn't on assignment," she admitted. "Someone very important to me, someone I love, had become…ill, and I had to go to her."

Rachel's father frowned. "Love? Who are you talking about? And why didn't you just tell us that, instead of disappearing for over a week?"

"It's Nina Theroux. She's like me."

"Like you?" Her mother asked, though a suspicion had already started to grow.

"You know how I am. What I can do," she said carefully. Her parents had never shamed her about her…differences, but they were never comfortable with it, which she could understand.

"Yes, but you've been getting so much better."

Rachel smiled kindly. "No mom, I'm not 'better'. I've just learned to control it. What I have…it's not an illness or something that can just go away. It's part of me. It's how I was born and that's why I was with Rosen. He understood me and the others that are like me. He taught us how to understand our abilities and control them."

"We have heard the stories about these so-called 'Alphas'" her father acknowledged, "and it helped understand more about you, but if this is all true, why haven't I seen it more?"

"Because they're afraid. The government is invested in keeping us a secret. They're chasing down Alphas like we are, the only difference is, once they find these people, they send them to a 'special' hospital where they're studied like lab rats," Rachel nearly choked on her disgust as she remembered the things she'd seen at Binghamton. "And more importantly, a lot of people are simply ashamed of their abilities, because they don't know what they are or how to use them."

"This is all very confusing," Yasmine said, "but what does this have to do with why you were gone so long without a word?"

"Because Nina…a couple of months ago, Nina…well, I can't go into all of it, but Nina hurt me. Not physically," she was quick to add, "but she did something that nearly cost us our friendship. We were on our way to making up when she overheard something I said and misunderstood it. I broke her heart and then someone offered her a chance to get rid of her ability and out of guilt and fear of hurting me again, she took it."

"There's something out there that can make you normal?" Behrouz asked hopefully, and then cringed as he heard his own words. "I'm sorry Rachel, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I just meant…"

Rachel patted her father's arm. "That's okay dad. I know what you meant. And yes, this suppressed her…anomaly, but it nearly killed her. The drug she took, put these…things in her brain and caused her so much pain she had to be put into a coma, just so she could have some peace until we found a way to cure her."

"Why couldn't you have just told us this?"

"Because I didn't want the others we work with, to know where I was. They've messed everything up before and, well, it's a long story. All I was focused on at the time, all I cared about was Nina and what she had done to herself because of me." Rachel's heart ached at the memory and she struggled not to cry.

"This Nina…she means a lot to you, doesn't she?" Her father asked and Rachel's heart almost stopped. Her parents were traditional and very conservative people and she feared their reaction when they learned their daughter was in love with a woman, but to gloss over their relationship would be to deny Nina and Rachel wouldn't do that. She couldn't.

"She means everything to me," Rachel admitted honestly and without hesitation. She was surprised when she saw only mild confusion instead of fury or disgust.

"You're in love with her?"

"Yes, I am. I'm sorry, I know how that this goes against everything you both believe and I know you're…"

Rachel's father took her hand. "Stop," he said kindly. "You're right Rachel, this is something your mother and I don't understand and something that, if we still lived in Iran, would have disgraced us and gotten you imprisoned or worse."

"I know," Rachel admitted. "And it's not like I planned for this to happen, it just did. Nina…she comes across as this shallow, arrogant woman, but she has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known." Rachel sighed as she found herself thinking back on every moment she'd ever spent with Nina Theroux.

"From the second I met her, she looked out for me but _never_ made feel like I was useless or incapable. She never judged me for the problems I've had. She never tried to force me to be something I'm not and she has always been there for me when I needed someone. I mean she even redid her house for me, when I moved in. There were so many things she did for me, showing me how she felt, and I took it for granted."

Rachel's mother couldn't help but feel a little guilty, knowing how much pressure she and her husband had put on their daughter, ignoring the part of her that made being 'normal' so much more difficult, but for Rachel to suddenly declare she was in love with a woman?

"You said that she'd hurt you, bad enough that you turned away from her," she pointed out.

Rachel remembered that moment that had changed Rachel's life for ever. She remembered staring into those dark, dark eyes as Nina told Rachel to kiss her and she remembered the shock that went through her as she kissed Nina with a desperation that was partly due to being pushed, but also because of the incredible way kissing Nina made her feel.

"She did," Rachel admitted. "At the time, I thought I would never forgive her for what she did. Then I realized why she'd done it. It was only after it was too late and after she flung herself off of a building, that I learned how much pain Nina had been carrying most of her life. When I moved out, something in her broke and she lost herself and I'd been too self absorbed to see it. What she did, she did out of desperation, fear and loneliness, not because she wanted to hurt me. Once I understood that, I tried to make up with her, but it was too late."

"But love, Rachel? Do you know what you're saying?"

"Of course, I do," Rachel snapped, before regaining her temper. "I know what your beliefs say and I know it's not something you understand or approve of. And like I said, it was a surprise to me too. I never planned to love a woman. It wasn't something I ever considered, not even for a second and I've never been attracted to any other woman but I love her. I'm crazy in love with her. Not because she's a woman, but because she's Nina and it took nearly losing her that made me realize it."

"That's the thing Rachel. Are you sure that what you're feeling for Nina, isn't just guilt for what happened to her or pity?"

"I'm positive," Rachel said firmly. "Look, you have both been pushing me because I'm not married and you were both afraid that my abilities would keep me from finding someone, but I have. Nina is everything I've ever hoped to find in someone. She's incredibly smart and kind, not to mention beautiful. She isn't afraid or disgusted by what I can do. She encourages me and she accepts me for everything that I am and loves me in a way I never even dreamed of. Isn't that what you wanted for me?"

Her parents were clearly torn as they looked at each other. Their background, everything they were raised to believe had them wanting to scream at their daughter and force her to conform, but the look on her face as she talked about Nina told them that the only thing they would accomplish by doing that, would be to drive her away for ever. Her feelings for this other woman came through with every word, it gave a light to her eyes that they hadn't seen in far too long.

"We want you to be happy Rachel," her father finally said. "That's all we've ever wanted. We thought that meant simply being 'normal'. We thought if you could just be 'normal' than you could find a man and settle down, like your sister, but you've never been 'normal," he smiled, to show he wasn't trying to hurt her. "You've always tried to be independent, whether it was in spite of, or because of your…abilities, I don't know, but we've seen the change in you these last couple of years. You're more confident and sure of yourself, and if this Nina is responsible for that, then we're grateful to her."

"She is," Rachel assured them. "She saw what I was capable of, even when I couldn't and she never once let me give up on myself. I only wish I had done the same for her. Maybe she wouldn't now be fighting for her life…" she stopped, as the urge to cry again, swept over her.

Her father was at a loss for words. His mind was urging him to rage against his daughter for being in such an 'unnatural' relationship, but his heart saw the truth. He knew that her condition would make it very hard to find a husband, especially amongst their community, who would understand her, who wouldn't berate her or worse for behavior he saw as an insult to him. This Nina not only understood Rachel, but also had abilities of her own. Perhaps she was the only person they could trust their daughter with. Sighing, he took her into his arms, wondering how such a small frame could hold such a fierce spirit.

"It will be alright, daughter," he said as she cried. He looked at his wife who still seemed reluctant to accept any of what she'd heard.

"I never wanted to hurt her or you," Rachel sniffed. "I never wanted to hurt anyone.

"We know that _dokhtar_ ," Yasmine said gently. "We love you and we will always love you, no matter what."

"I love you too," Rachel said, pulling away from her father and wiping her eyes. "And that's why I have something else to tell you."

"You're leaving," her mothe _r_ guessed, a sad acceptance filling her heart.

"How did you know?" she gaped.

"A mother knows," the older woman replied simply.

"I'm sorry, _mâmân._ I have to."

"Why?"

"Things have just become so hard for me here. The Government is tracking everything we do, the people I work with treat me like I'm an infant whose opinions are 'cute' but worthless and that's when they aren't sticking their noses in my business. I'm tired of being chased and tired of being afraid that one day I'll do something and wind up as some horrible lab experiment."

"We can understand that, but…"

"I just need a fresh start and one with Nina, if she'll have me."

"What if she wants to stay?"

"Then I'll stay, but I know Nina is as tired as I am, if not more so. We need to find somewhere where nobody knows us and where we can be safe. And I know it will be best for you, because even if you accept my relationship with Nina, others here will not and they will make you pay for it."

Behrouz couldn't deny she spoke the truth and he felt a bit of guilt knowing that he agreed with her.

"Will you come home some times?"

"Of course, I will, and I have a friend that has a very special gift with electronics and technology. I'm sure I can convince her to make you a special phone that will allow us to talk and not be traced and maybe, if you want, you can move with us. You can finally get away from this city."

"I have to admit, that isn't really a bad thought," her father admitted.

"Well, first things first. I have to make sure Nina is okay and that she'd even be willing to leave with me."

"I want to meet her," Behrouz stated firmly. "I want to make sure she is good enough for my daughter."

In the past, those words would have sent fear through Rachel, but knowing what he was offering with that demand, had her heart swelling with happiness and she threw her arms around her father.

"Thank you, baba," she said.

"Yes, well, that's okay," he muttered awkwardly.

"Now that we have that all sorted," Yasmine said as happily as she could, "I have to tell you that you look terrible."

"I do?" Rachel asked and realized she hadn't slept, eaten or changed clothes in days.

"I'm afraid so. Why don't you go shower and change clothes and I'll make you something to eat?"

Rachel smiled, one enormous weight falling off of her shoulders.

"Thanks."

An hour later, Rachel entered the kitchen feeling ten times better now that she'd showered was in clean clothes and washed her hair.

Her mother had fixed a simple lunch and Rachel turned the conversation back to her parents and how they were doing.

Finally, Rachel finished and helped her mother with the dishes before turning to her parents.

"I need to get back to check on Nina. As soon as she's recovered, I'll bring her here so she can meet you."

Rachel stood, as did her parents, and they made their way to the front door. She dropped the handle of her small suitcase and hugged her mother, relieved when her mother's arms wrapped around her.

"I love you _mâmân,"_ Rachel said, kissing the older woman's cheek. "I'm sorry if I've brought any shame to you or baba. You know I've never wanted that."

"We know that _dokhtar._ And I can't promise that I will ever understand this relationship with your Nina, or even be comfortable with it," Yasmine said truthfully, "but your heart has always been a good one, and to love someone who has risked so much for you, well I can't see how that could ever be shameful."

"Thank you," Rachel said earnestly. "Thank you both."

She kissed her parents once more and left, anxious to get back to Nina.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

"How is she?" Rachel asked abruptly as she entered the lab.

"Go see for yourself," Lee smiled and Rachel's heart flipped. She walked over to Nina's bedside. The older woman appeared to still be sleeping but the color was back in her face and there was a peace in her expression that hadn't been there before, even when she was in the coma.

She carefully sat on the bed beside Nina and then unable to help herself, reached out to touch that beautiful face.

"Nina?" she whispered and then gasped as Nina's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey, Rach."

Rachel simply stared for a moment as she ran her eyes over Nina's features, unaware of Rosen and Tallmidge leaving the room. She still looked tired and worn out, but there was no pain in her eyes.

"You're awake." Rachel smiled and then rolled her eyes at the sheer stupidity of the comment.

"What gave it away?" Nina teased.

Nina's voice was still a little weak, but seeing the smile on her face, a smile Rachel feared she would never see again had Rachel suddenly covering her face with her hands and bursting into tears.

"Rach? Rachel?" Nina's breath caught, seeing Rachel so distraught. She winced as she shifted in the bed until she was sitting up and then placed a hand on Rachel's back.

"Please don't cry," Nina begged, fighting her own tears. She never could stand to see Rachel sad.

Rachel turned and buried her face in Nina's chest, crying harder when she felt long, slender arms wrapping around her.

Nina didn't have the faintest idea what to say to calm her, so she simply held her until the sobs turned into sniffles and then finally Rachel pulled away.

"Oh God," Rachel sniffed, wiping at her cheeks. "I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"Not at all," Nina assured her, even though she lied a little. All the movement had her head hurting a bit, but nothing like it had been. "Are you okay?"

Rachel gave a watery laugh. "Me? I should be asking you that."

"I'm fine," Nina assured her, reaching out to wipe a tear from Rachel's cheek with her thumb. Instantly, Rachel captured her hand and placed a kiss in her palm.

"I thought you were going to die," Rachel whispered, tears filling her eyes again as she remembered Nina's screams, screams that would haunt her dreams for a while.

"I wanted to," Nina admitted. "The pain was unbearable and all I wanted was for it to stop, but then you showed up at Skylar's and all I wanted was to live."

"Oh Nina, I'm so sorry for everything. I'm sorry that I drove you to do what you did and that…"

"Stop Rachel," Nina said gently. "You aren't responsible for anything. I am. I made choices that brought me to this. You…you're the one who brought me back."

Rachel saw the sincerity in her brown eyes and she fell even deeper in love with the woman who never stopped trying to make things easier for her. She wanted to argue, knowing that she _was_ the reason Nina had hurt herself, but there would be time for that later.

"How long have you been awake?"

"I don't know," Nina answered, accepting Rachel's change of subject. "Not long. Rosen and the other guy told me a bit of what happened, but I was kind of out of it."

"Well Tallmidge is the one responsible for your condition," Rachel said, still angry. She told Nina as much she had understood of what that drug was Tallmidge had created and why he claimed to have created it.

"He was trying give alphas what they thought they wanted," she explained. "I really believe he didn't know what it was doing to them."

"Well, that makes him a piss poor doctor," Nina stated. "You don't give something to people without knowing what it does, but," she continued with a shrug, "how can I condemn him, when I was quick enough to take it without even asking about the effects."

Rachel looked down at their joined hands, barely aware of how she was playing with the longer fingers. "I really want to yell at you for that, you know," she said softly.

"I know, but this thing inside me…it's caused me nothing but grief my entire life and made people afraid of me and then when I turned it on you…"

"I forgave you for that a long time ago," Rachel told her sincerely. "I thought you knew that, but then you misheard what I had said to Gary and I realized I hadn't really told you. Like always, I was a coward. Too afraid to express even a little of what I was feeling and you suffered for it."

Nina's fingers went to lift Rachel's chin so she could look into those big eyes. "You have never been a coward, Rachel. Never. You may be quiet and adorably shy," she added with a smile, "and you may not rush headlong into things like the rest of us, but that just makes you smarter, not a coward. Okay?"

Predictably, Rachel blushed and Nina chuckled. "You are so cute," she told her, grinning as the blush deepened.

Nina may not see her as a coward, but Rachel knew she still needed to prove it. To Nina and herself.

"I love you Nina," she blurted, feeling a rare flicker of triumph at the startled expression on Nina's face.

"What?" Nina said after a long moment of trying to grasp what Rachel had said. She was still unconscious. She had to be. And then Rachel smiled, flashing those dimples that had always made Nina shiver. She reached out and touched one, shocked when Rachel captured her finger and placed a kiss on the tip.

"I love you. I don't know when it happened or how, but when I found out you were gone, I felt my world give out underneath me and when I saw how much you were suffering, what you had done because you didn't want to hurt me…God Nina," she paused, trying to regain her composure before she fell apart again.

"I knew then," she continued shakily, "without a doubt, that you are everything to me. You have been for longer than I've even been aware of."

"Do you mean it?" Nina was afraid to hope. She had vague recollections of Rachel kissing her at Skylar's but had thought she'd imagined it.

"With all my heart, Nina. I love you and I need you."

This time it was Nina's turn to cry. "Oh Rachel, I love you too. I loved you even before I…" she stopped, not wanting to remember what she'd done to the other woman.

"I'm going to kiss you now," Rachel announced, sliding closer to Nina. "Is that alright with you?"

"You really want to?"

Rachel understood why Nina asked, and it sort of broke her heart. "More than anything I've ever wanted," she said before learning forward and placing her lips against Nina's. Just like the first time, the spark was immediate and fierce and she couldn't hold back a little whimper.

Nina's breath caught in her throat at the touch of Rachel's lips. It was everything she remembered, if more restrained. She wanted more of it, but she held still, letting Rachel do as she wanted. Too quickly, Rachel pulled away and rested her forehead against Nina's.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked, wanting to make sure she hadn't hurt her.

"I'm more than okay," Nina replied, "although I wouldn't be mad if you wanted to do that again."

Rachel's body was practically crying out for another taste, the deeper, longer taste she'd been craving since that night at the club.

"I want to, but I don't know. You're still recovering."

"I'm okay Rach. Really," Nina insisted. "Yeah, my head still hurts just a little and I'm a bit weak, but I don't care. I need you, but if you don't want…if it's too soon after what I did…"

"Nina, stop. I want to. I mean, I _really_ want to. Your kisses do things to me that I can't even begin to explain," Rachel shivered, just thinking about what Nina's mouth did to her.

"But…"

"It's like I told you once before," Rachel interrupted quickly, before Nina talked herself into a breakdown. "That night, all you said was that I _wanted_ to kiss you. You never said I had to like it, but I did. I liked it so much I went back for more, even after Hicks pulled me away from you. You pushed me to kiss you but you didn't push me to crave your kisses like I did and not even my heightened senses would make me want a kiss I found detestable."

"Really?"

Rachel melted and if she were honest, she could get used to having this sort of power over the formidable Nina Theroux.

"Oh yes," she smiled, "And I'm more than happy to kiss you as often as you want," Rachel told her and then her own desires took over. She leaned in and took Nina's lips again and any thought she had about restraint, evaporated. This time she poured every ounce of what she felt into the kiss.

Her need was as great, if not greater than it had been when Nina had pushed her, because this time it was all her own. She moved her mouth with a slow deliberation over Nina's, her tongue sliding between those always tempting lips, while her hands lifted to slide into her soft, dark hair.

Nina groaned as she felt a sharp tugging in her hair, the pain an incredibly delicious torment that told her more than anything how close to losing control Rachel was and that just made Nina hotter.

Rachel's senses were firing wildly; the feel of Nina's soft lips against hers, the taste of her mouth, the sound of her throaty moans, all of it blended together until Rachel was ready to explode. And when Nina's hands slid up her back, pulling her closer, Rachel nearly fell apart.

Nina's head was spinning but this time with the pleasure that Rachel's kisses were giving her. She'd tasted Rachel's passion once before, but this was so much more powerful because this time it was freely given.

"What the hell is going on?"

The two women broke apart at the angry sound of Hicks voice.

"She's awake," Rachel said lamely, licking her still tingling lips and looking at the group of Alphas staring at them from the door of the lab.

"Obviously, but what are you doing?"

"They were kissing, Bill," Gary rolled his eyes at the ridiculous question.

"Why is Rachel kissing you again, Nina?" Hicks asked suspiciously.

"I'd say it's cuz she wanted to," Kat retorted drily, apparently having been the only one to notice Rachel's enthusiasm.

Nina and Rachel both instantly understood the implication. Nina looked away and Rachel shot to her feet.

"Kat's right. I kissed her because I wanted to," she said getting in the other man's space. "I kissed her because I'm in love with her and no, she didn't push me. We're not even sure if she still can. So if you're just going to be an asshole, you can leave right now."

"Rachel, you cussed," Gary stated while the others stared at her in surprise and Kat laughed.

"Sorry," Cameron shifted uncomfortably, feeling guilty. He wasn't sure why he was being such a an ass. Maybe it was jealousy that Nina was kissing someone else, or maybe it was the realization that for Nina, it had always been Rachel, even when she had been with him.

"So, can you? Push, I mean?" Gary asked curiously.

Nina frowned. She hadn't even thought about it. She hadn't been awake that long and then Rachel came in and her abilities had been the last thing on her mind.

"I don't know. I'm still not entirely sure of what happened or how it was fixed."

"I can explain that," Richard Tallmidge said as he entered the lab, followed by Lee.

"Okay, but please keep it simple," Nina said.

Richard told her about his work trying to find a way to suppress Alpha's abilities.

"Why?" Nina asked.

"At first it was simple. During my work at Binghamton I never really saw Alphas as anything but abominations who had abilities that made it possible to take advantage of other people. I thought it was my responsibility to find a way to take away that advantage."

"You didn't have that right," Bill snapped, feeling the anger starting to build.

"I know that now," Richard said quickly. "When I was…'let go', from Binghamton and started to work with patients outside of that place, I got to know the Alphas on a more personal level. I got to see the way their abilities could help them and I learned how it was simple ignorance that made it so hard for them. I spent years talking to Alphas who hated what they were and the things they'd done because they couldn't control their abilities. I worked with Alphas that had become so dependent on them, they wound up dying. So, I decided to try and help them. Unfortunately, my ego and my desire to impress the higher ups at Binghamton had me taking a path I knew better than to take, and rushing a process without testing it and here we are. I swear though, I had no idea what this would do to you."

"Yeah, well that tells me your license needs to be revoked," Kat muttered.

"Kat," Lee chided.

"She's right," Richard admitted. "I screwed up. I knew better, but I simply didn't care. I was close to getting back everything I'd lost. Now I have a chance to fix it. I've destroyed the nanobots attacking your limbic system and am going to track down the others who bought the drug and offer to reverse it, If they want it."

"Why wouldn't they want it?" Gary asked. "Our superpowers are amazing."

Nina smiled at the young man, as always awed by his unique way of seeing the world, but then her smile faded. "It's not always that simple Gary. Sometimes a person uses their gift in a way that hurts the person they love most in the world. They feel they've lost everything and all they want is to destroy the part of them that allowed that to happen."

"You mean when you made Rachel kiss you before?"

Nina blushed. "Yes."

"Oh."

"But you know that I've forgiven you, right?" Rachel said, returning to Nina's side and taking her hand.

"I think she made that pretty clear," Kat stated with a smirk.

"Yeah, she did," Nina chuckled.

"And you know that I love you," Rachel continued. "I love everything about you Nina and that includes your abilities."

"If I still have them," Nina replied, suddenly realizing that she very well may have succeeded in removing a very big part of herself.

"You should. All these nanites did was block them. Kind of like the chip they had at Binghamton."

"You should try," Rachel told her.

"I…" Nina froze. She knew she should try, but as she looked up into Rachel's dark eyes, all she could see was the emptiness in them the night Rachel had pushed her and she was terrified.

Rachel saw the fear on Nina's face and her hear broke. Ignoring the others in the room, she reached out to brush a soft lock of hair from Nina's eyes.

"Don't be afraid, Nina. Push me. I trust you." She almost couldn't stand it, when tears sprung to Nina's eyes.

"I trust you," she repeated firmly.

"I can't do it Rach," Nina whispered, the thought of pushing Rachel and seeing that look of disgust in her face again, made her sick.

"You need to, Nina. I _trust_ you," Rachel said it again and she would continue to say it until Nina believed her.

"You can push me," Lee broke in, seeing the panic on Nina's face and not wanting to cause her any more duress than he already had over the last year.

"I...ok," Nina reluctantly agreed. "What should I do?"

"Well, just nothing too embarrassing," Lee replied with a smile, relieved to see a matching one on Nina's face. He stepped beside the bed and stared into Nina's eyes.

Nina took a deep breath and thought of the most innocuous thing she could come up with. _"You want to get me a glass of water."_

Lee could feel it. He heard the words as if they were whispered through a filter and braced himself to say no, but he couldn't. He felt a heaviness in his mind and was over at the sink, getting a Styrofoam cup of water before he knew what had happened. He handed it to Nina and then almost instantly, he felt the heaviness vanish.

"It worked," he grinned.

"You weren't just going along?" Nina asked warily.

"Not at all. In fact I was telling myself not to do it, but I couldn't stop myself."

Nina wanted to cry in relief, but she put on a shaky smile instead. "Then I guess it's a good thing I didn't tell you to go pants Harken."

"Hey," Bill protested.

"So, everything's good then?" Hicks asked, realizing he was glad Nina had her abilities. Despite everything, he still cared for her and seeing her so broken before had hurt him, until she turned those abilities on him.

"Mostly," Nina replied.

"I do suggest you stay here another day, just until you've fully regained your strength and we make sure the headaches are gone," Lee said.

"But…"

"I'll stay with you," Rachel interrupted before Nina could list her reasons for leaving.

"Okay," Nina conceded almost immediately, drawing a smile from Rachel.

"Blech," Kat muttered at the display, though her lips lifted in a smile.

"Okay, everyone needs to leave now. I want to run a few final tests on Nina and then she needs to rest," Lee ordered.

"I'm glad you're better," Gary said in his simple way. "And since Rachel's forgiven you, I'm glad I don't have to arrest you."

"Thanks Gary," Nina smiled as she watched him leave. "Rachel, you don't have to…"

"I'm staying," Rachel stated before sitting in the chair near Nina's bed.

"Wow, I really like this new bossy side of yours," Nina said and then she laughed as she watched Rachel deciding if she should be offended or not.

Rachel just ignored Nina, while internally, she was almost giddy with happiness at seeing that playful side again. Suddenly, she remembered Skylar and the others still had no idea what was happening.

"I need to make a call," she told Nina, hoping the other woman would know who she was referring to.

Nina nodded "Go ahead. I'm not going anywhere."

Rachel chuckled, then kissed Nina's forehead. "I'll be back."

She pulled the special phone from her purse and went outside, hoping that the unique technology and the distance would keep Gary from tracking Skylar.

" _She's really okay?"_

"She's still a little weak, but yeah, she's okay," Rachel told her new friend.

" _I can't believe that after all the searching and scrambling, it was that easy to fix her."_

"Sometimes the most obvious way really is the best way," Rachel pointed out. "And sometimes, fear, even if it is justified, keeps us from seeing the obvious."

" _I know, but…"_

"It's okay, Skylar. I understand why you were so resistant and I went along with you for the same reasons. We just need to be glad Nina is okay and move forward."

" _So what's next? Are you guys staying in the city?"_

Rachel frowned. She hadn't even thought about that. "Well, I'll have to talk about it with Nina, but I'm guessing we'll stay here for a few days, just to make sure there aren't any lingering effects, but I, for one, am done here. So, I'd like to come back, at least for a few days."

" _You're always welcome here, Rachel."_

"Thank you, Skylar, for everything. And please tell Kendra and the others how grateful I am and Nina."

" _I will. See you in a few days."_

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Runaway_Alphas Part 11

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Nina asked as she sat up in the hospital bed.

"I'm more than okay with it," Rachel replied, sitting beside her. "You and I both want…we need a fresh start and even though the world knows about Alphas now, you are still considered a bigger threat than anyone else, which I admit," Rachel smirked playfully, "is kind of hot, when I think about it." She laughed, seeing a rare blush on her usually self-confident girlfriend's face.

"You can't say things like that when I'm still trapped here and can't reply the way I want to," Nina pouted, earning a lingering kiss from Rachel.

"Better?" Rachel asked, licking her lips as if to grab that last little taste of Nina.

"Not when you do that," Nina laughed, almost giddy by how demonstrative Rachel had become.

"Sorry," Rachel lied. "But, as I was saying, the DoD wants to put you in Binghamton and the Red Flag wants to use you for their own agenda and I don't plan on letting either of them have their way."

Nina really did love the new assertive Rachel, but it wasn't really the time to bring that up. "But you want me to push people in order to erase almost everything about ourselves and create new lives."

"I know and if it's too much or if you don't want to, I understand," Rachel assured her. "I just…I'm tired of people hurting you."

Nina smiled and she placed a hand on that very sweet face. "You have become my little protector, haven't you?"

Rachel covered Nina's hand and placed a kiss in her palm. "You were mine, long enough," she reminded the other woman.

"I'm more than willing to do this Rach. I'm tired of this life and all it's brought me. I would love nothing more than starting a new one. With you."

"Well then, I think that we have plans to make, but first…we need to tell Lee and the others we're leaving."

"They're going to try and talk us out of it," Nina pointed out.

"Probably, but they can't stop us. We could try pushing them, but it doesn't work on Gary and he'll always be able to find us if he put his mind to it. "

"True."

"We'll figure out something Nina. I'm tired of living the way I have been and chasing after people who just want to be left alone and you and I have more than earned the right to our own happiness."

"Have I told you lately, that I adore you?" Nina smiled.

"Nope," Rachel replied happily. "But you can tell me after we get you home."

Telling Rosen and the others that they were leaving, was far easier than either Nina or Rachel expected. Cameron had, of course, reminded them unnecessarily, just how dangerous Nina could be, but Rachel quickly shut him down, reminding him that all of them were dangerous in one way or another.

Bill and Kat tried reminding them that they were needed to help stop the criminal Alphas from hurting people and save the innocent ones from the Feds, but Lee surprised the two women by saying that, while their abilities were valuable, they've have done more and sacrificed more than their fair share to help people and they have every right to find happiness for themselves. Nobody is there against their will and anyone who wanted to leave could do so, though Rachel and Nina were the only ones who wanted to.

It was a little more difficult explaining why they would not be telling the others where they were going. Rachel attempted to be diplomatic and just said that it was safer, while Nina flat out told them, she no longer trusted them and that even if she did, they were so closely watched by the Feds that no matter what they did, eventually they'd track them down.

After they finished packing their things and were preparing to leave, Nina and Rachel pulled Gary aside.

"Gary, you know that you're my friend, right?" Nina asked.

"Well I did, until you said you didn't trust me."

"I'm sorry about that, and I do trust you," Nina assured him. "In fact, you're the only one in the group that I do trust."

"Really? Cool."

"So, if I wanted to let you know where we are, could I trust you not to reveal that to Rosen and the others? Not unless it's necessary, and I mean 'end of the world' or 'deadly threat' necessary."

"I'd be lying," Gary frowned. "I don't lie."

"We know that," Rachel said quickly, "and that's part of the reason we love you, but we aren't asking you to lie. We're just asking you not to offer information. You know, like a secret."

"I'm pretty good at keeping secrets," Gary replied thoughtfully.

"Yeah you are." Nina agreed. "So, can we trust you with this?"

"Sure," Gary shrugged. He didn't like lying, but he understood loyalty and he liked having special jobs.

"Thank you," Rachel smiled, and knowing it made the young man antsy, she kissed his cheek, Nina kissed the other, both women chuckling at the way he instantly wiped at his face.

"And Gary, if you ever need to get away from all this, you will always be welcome to come stay with us."

Gary frowned. He loved being an FBI Agent, but he had to admit, sometimes he did wonder what it would be like to just have peace, away from all the things he was asked to see and do.

"Thanks," he said, a rare warmth in his voice.

And with that, the two women left the office for the last time, feeling lighter than they had in months. The only thing that kept them from complete excitement about their future was the upcoming visit with Rachel's parents.

"Your heart just sped up," Rachel commented as she placed her box of personal items into the trunk of Nina's car.

 **Epilogue**

Six months later…

"I can't believe this is real," Rachel sighed, snuggling up to Nina on the sofa that looked out at sunset over the snow-covered mountains.

"It does seem almost too good to be true," Nina agreed, placing a kiss on the soft brown hair tickling her chin.

"I honestly never thought that I'd wake up one day living in some big, sprawling log ranch house in the middle of Wyoming, and with you of all people," Rachel laughed.

"Rude!" Nina protested, but with a smile.

"You know what I mean," Rachel retorted, with a playful slap on the arm. "You just never seemed like the horses and 'wide open spaces' kind of girl."

Nina shrugged. "You're right. I wasn't. I loved the activity of the big city and how much there was to see and do. I loved the rush and all the distractions that were available."

"But?"

"But I finally realized that's all it was. A distraction. The constant activity in the city kept me from dwelling on how empty my life was and it provided me so many nameless people I could use when I was at my lowest, without knowing who I was hurting. Now that I have you, I don't need any of that."

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked, a sudden self-consciousness coming over her. "There aren't any big nightclubs here, no fancy stores or anything, and lets face it. You're the one who paid for all of this, with the sell of your home. I'm boring and didn't contribute much of…"

"Stop right there Rach," Nina ordered firmly. "First of all, you could never be boring. Ever and for another, please don't ever worry about whose money did what. You already know that most of the money I have, and the house I sold, were not exactly acquired legitimately and besides, everything I have is yours. Using that money to build our home and buy enough land for us and any other Alphas who need protection, was the best thing I've ever done."

"I know, but still…"

"Still nothing," Nina interrupted firmly. "I know you want to do something because you aren't into being a slouch like I am," she grinned, "but in a couple of months, things will change. Skylar, Kendra and some of the others are coming out here and we'll be building safe houses for them and any other Alphas we find on the more secluded part of our land and then we're going to come up with a plan to make money so we can pretty much have our own little safe haven. Until then, I say we just enjoy ourselves, yeah?"

"Alright," Rachel sighed, cuddling back into Nina's warm arms. The two women were silent for a while as they watched the sun go down, Nina savoring the completeness and feeling of home that she'd never had, while Rachel savored the strong, steady beat of Nina's heart beneath her cheek.

"I'm still expecting Rosen and the others to show up here and force us to go back," Rachel finally said.

"I know, but I think Lee finally realized that neither of us was happy there anymore and he saw what happened the last time he tried to force me to stay and conform to what he wanted."

Rachel nodded. "Do you believe him that they won't look for us?"

Nina snorted. "No. At the very least, Gary won't be able to help himself, but I believe they won't deliberately do anything to lead the bad guys to us."

"It helps that you 'persuaded' one of the DoD guys to delete everything they had on us," Rachel laughed, but Nina didn't.

"Does it bother you? That I pushed him?"

Rachel sat up and met Nina's worried eyes. "Of course it doesn't," she assured her. "You didn't hurt him and you were trying to protect us. Besides," she smiled, even as her blood heated at the memory, "with that very short skirt and tight, low cut blouse you were wearing, I'm pretty sure he would have done it anyway."

Nina saw the flash in Rachel's dark eyes and she swallowed. "You noticed that, did you?"

"Uh, yeah, I did," Rachel replied with a grin that was half leer. "How is it, I never really noticed how sexy that look could be on any other woman but you?"

"Cuz I'm just that hot," Nina grinned with an arrogance that had Rachel laughing.

"Cocky much?" Rachel teased, once her laughter had stopped.

"It's another of my gifts," Nina grinned as she reached out to touch one of Rachel's captivating dimples.

"Mm-hmm, but you have so many other gifts I like better," Rachel purred, sliding a hand across Nina's flat abs, enjoying the way her muscles clenched beneath her touch.

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know," Rachel nipped once at Nina's jaw. "You're pretty good with your hands," she said as she nuzzled Nina's ear, letting her senses absorb the unique scent that belong only to Nina.

In response, Nina's hands reached out and pulled Rachel over until she was straddling her lap. "Is that so?"

A thought crossed Rachel's mind and she pulled back. "That night at the club…"

"Rachel" Nina groaned, wishing they could put that mistake behind them.

"It's not that," Rachel was quick to assure Nina, "It was… when I found you, there was a blonde woman dancing for you and you seemed to be pretty into it."

Nina frowned. She vaguely remembered the blonde and some of things they'd gotten up to that night.

"Can we not, Rach?" she muttered uncomfortably.

"I'm not judging your actions Nina, I swear, I just…I wanted to know if you've been with other women."

Nina blinked and then laughed. "Really Rachel? We've been together almost a year and you're just now asking me?"

Rachel blushed. "So?"

Nina shook her head, thinking she'd n ever understand her lover and she was glad of it. "Yes, I've been with a few other women before. I've always been attracted to pleasure and gender never had anything to do with it. I was drawn to whomever attracted to me at any particular moment, but I never knew what love was, until the first day I looked into your big brown eyes."

"Oh Nina," Rachel sighed, cupping her sweet face in her hands. "Nobody in the world has ever cared for me the way that you do."

"That's because the world is stupid."

Rachel chuckled at the childish reply, but her smile faded as she studied the face so close to hers. She traced the smooth skin and for a long moment, she lost herself to her ability, her sense of touch intensifying the feeling of the silky skin beneath her fingers as she examined the creases beside her lips and each freckle she encountered.

Nina recognized the expression on Rachel's face and knew the other woman had temporarily given over to her senses. Instead of feeling uncomfortable or trying to bring her back, Nina simply sat perfectly still as Rachel's fingers caressed her face as if she were memorizing her features, humbled that the skittish woman trusted Nina enough to let her guard down.

"You are so beautiful," Rachel finally said, as she returned to herself.

Nina's first instinct was to shrug off the compliment. She'd heard it so many times before, it had lost it's meaning, but when Rachel said it, the words seemed to have a different, deeper meaning as if she meant all of Nina, not just her face.

"You're the one who's beautiful," Nina replied sincerely, and meaning it. "And you are the one who makes me beautiful. You make me better, Rachel. You make me want to be better."

It was all Rachel could do not to cry at the beautiful words. How anyone could have ever hurt such a warm gentle heart, she'd never know, but all she could do was make sure Nina knew every single day, just how much she was loved.

"I love you Nina," she said softly. "I mean, that doesn't even begin to cover what I feel for you, but I do. I love you with all my heart."

"I love you too, Rach."

With that, Rachel dropped her head and captured Nina's lips. It didn't take more than a heartbeat for gentleness to be replaced with passion. Rachel instantly deepened the kiss, sliding her mouth over Nina's almost desperately.

Nina had kissed many, many people, but she'd never been kissed the way Rachel kissed her. It was far more than lust and desire. It was as if Rachel was trying to consume her while pouring her own heart and soul into Nina and Nina had never felt so wanted and loved in her entire life.

Moaning softly, she slid her hand up Rachel's back and deep into her hair, clutching tightly as Rachel shifted seductively on her lap while the kiss continued and continued.

"You taste so good," Rachel murmured as her lips trailed across Nina's jaw, nipping lightly before moving down the long throat. Nina could do nothing but drop her head back and whimper as Rachel nipped at her pulse point before licking gently at the mark that was certain to be left behind.

"And your scent," Rachel panted against Nina's skin, barely aware of what she was saying. "Nobody smells like you. Didn't you ever wonder how I could find you alone in a loud, crowded nightclub full of hundreds of sweaty, over perfumed, drunk people?"

Nina could feel the tension in Rachel's body, she could hear the breathlessness in her voice and knew that Rachel's senses were on overload and that turned her on more than anything she'd ever experienced.

"I did, now that you mention it," Nina panted, her fingers going to the hem of Rachel's sweater, desperate to remove at least one layer between her hands and that soft, tanned skin, "and maybe later, you can tell me more about it."

"Much later," Rachel agreed, lifting her arms so Nina could slide the sweater over her head.

"So beautiful," Nina whispered as her eyes fell to the now exposed, silky smooth skin and perfect full breasts draped in a plain white bra. She leaned in and placed a kiss between Rachel's breasts, thrilling at the hiss of pleasure that came from Rachel.

She knew Rachel would always be far more responsive than any person Nina had ever been with, and that sometimes it embarrassed Rachel, but Nina would continue to show her with every touch, every kiss, every word, that it was more than okay to respond in any way she needed and Nina would never, ever shame Rachel for her reactions or abuse her trust.

"Nina," Rachel breathed as Nina's lips skimmed over her breasts and then up to her neck.

"I can't get enough of you," Nina whispered, sucking lightly at the juncture of Rachel's neck and shoulder, before trailing her tongue up the long throat and nipping at her chin. To her surprise, Rachel shuddered in an all to familiar way and then she pulled back, her face turned away in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry Nina," Rachel muttered, still breathless from the sensations still shooting through her body.

"Jesus Rachel, you never have to apologize for letting go with me," Nina rushed to assure her, gently forcing her eyes back to hers. "Never. I'm just grateful that you trust me enough."

Rachel brushed her hands over Nina's beautifully flushed face. "I _love_ you enough," she said, thanking every God she knew of for bringing this woman into her life and in a flash, her desire was sparked again, but, the chill in the air was a bit distracting.

"I…can we go inside?" Rachel asked.

Nina instantly stopped her kisses. "Sure Rach," she said warmly. She was more than okay with Rachel's innate shyness but she still couldn't hold back a sigh of regret when the smaller woman slid off her lap, but then Rachel flashed her dimples and everything was forgotten.

"Those are ridiculously dangerous," Nina muttered playfully, poking lightly at one.

"I know," Rachel, agreed with a rare cockiness that had Nina laughing. "Now, you coming?" she threw over her shoulder as she headed inside the large house.

"Absolutely," Nina grinned, feeling a completeness and a true happiness that she'd never felt before.


End file.
